How much do Indian cricketers earn for playing Test, ODI and T20? Indian cricket salary structure explained

The Indian Cricket Board on Wednesday (February 28) announced the list of annual central contracts for senior men cricketers for the 2023-24 season (October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024). A total of 30 players were included in the retainership contract with captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja retained in the top category (A+).

KL Rahul and Shubman Gill were promoted to A grade while Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were dropped from the list. Although there were some hints in the recent past, the big move shook the Indian cricket fraternity as the duo was a key part of Team India and even played in the 2023 ODI World Cup. 

However, the governing body took a bold step after the players flouted its directive to participate in the Ranji Trophy. The board had informed that all players who do not represent the national team must participate in domestic cricket. But Kishan and Iyer decided to skip the premier red-ball tournament only to get out of the contract list. 

All you need to know about salary structure of Indian cricket 

The Indian Cricket Board is the richest cricket governing body in the world and for the same reason, its players earn handsomely. Those who are part of all three formats and appear regularly in matches will earn a lot. Apart from the board's retainer fee, players will also get paid separately for featuring in a game in all three formats.

Let's dive into the topic in more detail. Contracts for Indian cricketers are divided into four grades namely A+, A, B and C. Each grade has a different payment structure. 

Amount for players in different categories 

Grade A+: INR 7 Crore

Grade A: INR 5 Crore

Grade B: INR 3 Crore

Grade C: INR 1 Crore

Per match fee as per formats

Test Match Fee: INR 15 Lakh (7.5 Lakhs if he is a member of the squad and not included in Playing XI) 

ODI Match Fee: INR 6 Lakh (3 Lakhs if he is a member of the squad and not included in Playing XI)

T20I Match Fee: INR 3 Lakh (1.5 Lakhs if he is a member of the squad and not included in Playing XI)

Meanwhile, recently there were reports that the board is considering an increase in Test match fees. The decision was made to attract players to participate in the traditional format and give prominence to the Ranji Trophy. Players who play all the Test matches in a year will get paid more than what they already earn from their annual compensation.