The 2023 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a momentous occasion, marking the tournament's 15th anniversary. It's hard to believe that it's been 15 years since the first IPL match was played on April 18, 2008, between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The excitement is palpable as the 16th edition of the tournament is set to kick off on March 31, 2023, at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. The opening match promises to be a blockbuster clash between holders Gujarat Titans (GT) and four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
IPL 2023 is set to break records, with players earning unprecedented sums. However, it's worth noting that only one Indian player is among the four highest-earning players this season. Interestingly, all three overseas players on the list were purchased in this season's auction, which took place on December 23, 2022.
This season, Punjab Kings (PBKS) made headlines by purchasing Sam Curran for a staggering Rs. 18.5 crores in the auction, making him the highest earner in IPL history and the biggest buy at an auction ever. Following closely behind is Mumbai Indians (MI) Cameron Green, who was bought for Rs. 17.5 crores. England Test captain and star all-rounder Ben Stokes also made the top four earners list, coming in at Rs. 16.5 crores.
Interestingly, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul is the only Indian player on the list of top earners, with a salary of Rs. 17 crores. Rahul was acquired by the Lucknow-based franchise in a pre-auction draft last season, which took place for the two new teams. The RPSG-group owned franchise paid a premium to secure Rahul's services.
Top 4 earners in IPL 2023
Sam Curran Rs. 18.5 Crore
Cameron Green Rs. 17.5 crore
KL Rahul Rs. 17 crore
Ben Stokes Rs. 16.25 crore
Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant (who will not be playing in IPL 2023) are set to earn a whopping Rs. 16 crore, along with Nicolas Pooran. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan, who was the biggest buy in the 2022 auction, will be earning Rs. 15.5 crore.
In addition, Royal Challengers Bangalore's very own Virat Kohli will be earning Rs. 15 crore, while the legendary captain of the four-time IPL-winning team, MS Dhoni, will be receiving a handsome sum of Rs. 12 crore from Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
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