Exploring the Earnings of Indian Domestic Cricketers: How Much Do They Make?

The earnings of an Indian domestic cricketer can vary significantly depending on several factors such as their skill level, experience, performance, and the state association they represent. It is important to note that domestic cricket earnings in India are relatively modest compared to the salaries earned by international cricketers.

On average, a domestic cricketer in India can earn a monthly retainer fee from their respective state association. These retainers can range from a few thousand rupees to around INR 1 lakh (100,000) per month. Additionally, players may receive match fees for participating in domestic tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The match fees can vary based on the player’s seniority and the importance of the match, but they typically range from a few thousand rupees to tens of thousands of rupees per match.

The 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, and the multi-day Ranji Trophy are India’s three major domestic events. Let’s take a look at the varied player earnings for each of the three tournaments.

SALARY OF VIJAY HAZARE TROPHY PLAYERS

This is a 50-over event in which each club must play league games before proceeding to the knockout stage. Each player in the starting XI earns INR 35000 ($ 460), while bench players earn half that amount, INR 17250 ($ 230).

Most state teams pay INR 1000 INR ($ 13) as Daily Allowance (DA) in league matches and INR 1500 ($ 19.71) in knockout games. Before reaching the knockout stages, each team plays approximately eight or nine games in which the players who make up the starting XI receive INR 315000 ($ 4139) each.

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SALARY OF RANJI TROPHY PLAYERS

The Ranji Trophy is India’s highest level of domestic cricket, and the players who compete in it earn a lot of money. The Ranji Trophy lasts roughly two months. In this four-day competition, each team plays either 8 or 9 league matches. Notably, each match was played four days apart.

Players receive INR 35000 ($ 460) per match day, which equates to INR 140000 ($ 1839.75) per game. In addition, players receive a daily stipend of INR 1000 ($ 10.5). In a Ranji season, a player who plays every game receives about INR 1332000 ($ 17503.87) along with a DA of nearly INR 72000, even if the team does not advance to the knockout stage.

Players who do not participate in the match, on the other hand, earn half of this amount. However, the daily allowance remains unchanged.

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SALARY OF SYED MUSHTAQ ALI TROPHY PLAYERS

Six or seven league stage matches comprise the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 event. In which each team competes before the four super-stage games for the teams that finish first in their respective groups.

Players are paid INR 17,500 ($ 230) per match, while those who do not make the starting XI are paid INR 8750 ($ 115) per match. They are given INR 1000 ($ 13.14) every day. Each player earns a minimum of INR 105,000 ($ 1379.81) for league games, in addition to almost INR 10000 ($ 131.41) of daily allowance. Those that advance to the Super Stage receive at least INR 175000 ($ 2299.68). They also receive INR 16000 (210.26$) in DA along with this.

Aside from match costs, players also receive charitable contributions. In the Ranji Trophy, they get paid INR 60000 ($ 788) every match. The Vijay Hazare Trophy costs INR 20000 ($ 262.82) per game. The Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy costs INR 7000 ($92) each match. Notably, there is a 12% tax decrease on all payments received.

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