Ranji Trophy 2024-25: How much will Virat Kohli earn?

Star Indian batter, Virat Kohli made a grand return to the prestigious Ranji Trophy after 12 years, playing for Delhi against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the 2024-25 season. While his presence on the field got the crowd going, however, his earnings from this match are moderate compared to his international and Indian Premier League (IPL) salaries.

Kohli’s earnings from international and IPL

Kohli, who is a Grade A+ contracted player with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), earns a whopping INR 7 crore annually from national duties, along with INR 15 lakh per Test match. Additionally, he receives a significant amount through endorsements and IPL contracts. However, the earnings from domestic cricket follow a structured pay scale set by the BCCI, which is significantly lower.

BCCI payment structure for domestic players

As per BCCI's domestic payment structure, the match fee for First Class players varies based on their experience.

• Players with more than 40 matches earn INR 60,000 per day.
• Players with 21-40 matches earn INR 50,000 per day.
• Players who have played less than 20 matches earn INR 40,000 per day per game.
• Non-playing squad members earn between INR 20,000 and 30,000, depending on their experience.

Kohli's earnings for Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match

Kohli having played 23 Ranji Trophy matches before this season and scoring 1,547 runs, but over 140 First Class games in total falls in INR 60,000 per day earnings category. This means that the 36-year-old will earn INR 2,40,000 for taking part in the fixture against Railways, in case the game lasts its full duration.

Also Read: Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Salary Structure, Match Fees & Earnings of Players

BCCI’s efforts to bridge the gap between domestic and IPL salaries

Despite the relatively low earnings from domestic cricket, BCCI has been working towards reducing the financial gap between Ranji Trophy and IPL players. Proposals have been made to increase match fees to make domestic cricket more lucrative.

Kohli departs early in his first Ranji match

Meanwhile, the 36-year-old had a disappointing first outing with the bat, as he departed after scoring a mere six runs, thanks to a screamer of a delivery from right-arm pacer Himanshu Sangwan.