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India’s premier batsman, Virat Kohli, is often considered the richest and highest-paid cricketer in the world. But the figures that we usually see include several other incomes like brand endorsements, social media posts, investments, and other monetary commitments. These figures contain all these sources of income too, along with the income earned through the central contract.
Virat Kohli is placed in the topmost slab of the annual player contracts, which are decided by the BCCI. It is also known as the A+ contract, and only a few marquee players are a part of it. A player in the A+ slab earns 7 CR in a year, which starts in October and ends in September. Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja are the only players alongside Virat Kohli in the A+ slab.
We will take a look at five international players who earn more than Virat Kohli from their respective central contracts with their cricket boards. These names include some of the biggest names in world cricket.
Here are the five players:
5. Steve Smith: (7.0056 CR)
At No. 5 we have the baby-faced Aussie batsman Steve Smith, who earns approximately INR 7.0056 crores, which is INR 56k more than what Kohli earns. Smith is a starter in all formats for Australia, and his numbers speak louder than his salary. The 34-year-old is also part of the prestigious Fab Four, which includes the four best batsmen of this era. Often considered the best batsman in Test cricket, Smith has a stupendous average of 58.61 in Tests and has been a highly important part of the Aussie squad.
4. Joe Root: (9.61 CR)
In the No. 4 spot, we have England’s former Test skipper, Joe Root. Root earns INR 9.61 crore, which is higher than Virat Kohli’s salary by about INR 2.61 crore. Root captained the English side for about five years from 2017-2022, and led his team in 64 Tests, which is a record. He resigned from captaincy after the 2021-22 away Ashes, where England suffered a 4-0 loss. He was an important part of the 2016 World T20 squad too, as he carried the England side to the finals.
3. Ben Stokes: (9.61 CR)
Taking the No. 3 spot, we have England’s current Test skipper Ben Stokes, who has a similar salary to his teammate Joe Root at INR 9.61 crore. He took the Test captaincy baton from Joe Root and has carried it forward in one of the most astonishing ways. Popularly known as the face of ‘Bazball’, Stokes has revolutionized the way England has played Test cricket. He has brought a new approach to the game along with coach Brendon McCullum, which has made the game much more interesting for viewers. Stokes has conquered it all, from winning the World Cup final on the last ball to winning an Ashes Test in the most unbelievable manner. He also scored a fifty in the final of the T20 World Cup and made sure he got his hands on the trophy he did not have.
2. Jofra Archer: (9.61 CR)
Taking the penultimate spot, we have another English cricketer, Jofra Archer. Jofra Archer is often considered one of the quickest fast bowlers of this generation. Although his career now has been scarred by injuries, he has impressed highly in the short period of time he has played. He made his Test debut in the 2019 home Ashes and quickly grabbed eyeballs for his fiery rivalry with Steve Smith. His barrage of bouncers to Steve Smith and Marnus Labuchagne was a treat to watch for fans. He has made his mark in the white ball game too, as he was the one who bowled the famous super over in the World Cup Final in 2019 and made sure that England get their hands on their maiden ODI World Cup.
1. Jos Buttler: (9.61 CR)
At the pole position, we have yet another England player, this time the white ball skipper of the Poms, Jos Buttler. Like Stokes and Root, Buttler has the same salary too, Buttler was appointed as the permanent captain of the English side, after Eoin Morgan announced his retirement in June 2022. Buttler immediately showed the results in his first big assignment, as he led England to their second World T20 title in the same year in Australia. In ODI’s, Buttler has a decent average of 41.49 and has played numerous match-winning knocks for the Poms. He scored 80(49) in the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup against India, and as a result, England won the game by 10 wickets, thus ending India’s ICC Trophy hopes.
