IPL 2025: Highest to Lowest Earning Captains from Rishabh Pant to Ajinkya Rahane

1. Rishabh Pant - Lucknow Super Giants (27 Crores)

Rishabh Pant is the most expensive player in the tournament's history, making him the highest-paid captain on this list. He was acquired by Lucknow Super Giants for 27 crores during the auction after Delhi Capitals increased his value by 7 crores using the Right to Match (RTM) clause. Although Pant has performed reasonably well as captain, his batting average of 4.75 remains a concern for LSG fans.

2. Shreyas Iyer - Punjab Kings (26.75 Crores) 

Punjab Kings secured their IPL title-winning captain for 26.75 crores, making him the second-most expensive captain on the list. With Iyer at the helm, the Punjab Kings have had a strong start, winning 3 out of 4 matches in the IPL 2025.

3. Ruturaj Gaikwad - Chennai Super Kings (18 Crores) 

Retained by Chennai Super Kings for 18 crores, Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to lead after a rocky start to the season, with his team facing 4 defeats in 5 matches and his captaincy decisions being questioned by experts.

4. Pat Cummins - Sunrisers Hyderabad (18 Crores)

Pat Cummins was retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad for 18 crores. Last season, he displayed an aggressive style of captaincy that led his team to the finals. However, despite a strong start this season, his team has lost 4 consecutive matches and is struggling to find their form in the ongoing IPL 2025

5. Sanju Samson - Rajasthan Royals (18 Crores) 

Sanju Samson, the longest-serving captain of Rajasthan Royals, was retained for 18 crores for three more seasons. After missing the first three matches of the season, he returned to captaincy, helping the team achieve consistency with 3 consecutive victories.

6. Shubman Gill - Gujarat Titans (16.50 Crores)

Retained by Gujarat Titans for 16.75 crores, Shubman Gill has been performing well, leading his team to 3 victories in 4 matches while making significant contributions with the bat.

7. Axar Patel - Delhi Capitals (16.75 Crores)

Axar Patel was retained by Delhi Capitals for 16.75 crores, stepping up as captain after KL Rahul declined the role. He has successfully led his team to an unbeaten record, with 4 wins out of 4 matches in the tournament.

8. Hardik Pandya - Mumbai Indians (16.35 Crores)

Mumbai Indians retained captain Hardik Pandya for 16.35 crores, hoping for a turnaround after a disappointing season last year. Unfortunately, they have experienced a similar start this season, losing 4 out of 5 matches.

9. Rajat Patidar - Royal Challengers Bengaluru (11 Crores) 

Rajat Patidar was retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for 11 crores and was rumored to be a captaincy candidate from the outset. He has performed well, leading the team to 3 victories in 4 matches, including notable wins against KKR, CSK, and MI. 

10. Ajinkya Rahane - Kolkata Knight Riders (1.5 Crores) 

Ajinkya Rahane is the lowest-paid captain in this IPL, acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders at his base price after going unsold in the first round. Despite this, KKR appointed him captain for his experience, and he has led the defending champions to 2 wins in 5 matches so far this season.