Rohit Sharma Earned Way More Than Virat Kohli In Inaugural IPL Season
While both Rohit and Virat have gone on to become IPL legends, their starting points were very different — Rohit began with crores, while Kohli started with lakhs.
As Indian Premier League (IPL) turned 18 on April 18, fans celebrated the legacy of cash-rich tournament and the players who've been a part of it since day one. Among them are Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, and Manish Pandey — the only players to feature in every IPL season from 2008 to 2025.
What's particularly interesting is the contrast in how these stars began their IPL journeys — especially when it comes to their salaries.
Rohit outearned Virat by huge margin in IPL 2028
In the inaugural season of IPL (2008), Virat Kohli was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore for just Rs 12 lakh, fresh off his U-19 World Cup win. He continued with the same salary till 2010. But from there, his IPL value skyrocketed:
Rs 8.28 crore (2011–2013)
Rs 12.5 crore (2014–2017)
Rs 15 crore (2018–2024)
Rs 21 crore in IPL 2025
On the other hand, Rohit Sharma, who started with Deccan Chargers, was signed for a whopping Rs 3 crore in 2008 — a huge amount at the time, and way more than Kohli. Rohit stayed with the Chargers till 2010 before Mumbai Indians brought him in for Rs 9.2 crore in 2011. He's been a key figure for MI ever since, leading them to five IPL titles.
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His earnings through the years:
Rs 12.5 crore (2014–2017)
Rs 15 crore (2018–2020)
Rs 16 crore (2021–2024)
Rs 16.3 crore in IPL 2025
While both have gone on to become IPL legends, their starting points were very different — Rohit began with crores, while Kohli started with lakhs. Their stories show how the IPL has grown and how careers can evolve in unexpected ways.
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There's growing speculation that both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have their eyes set on continuing their international careers till the 2027 ODI World Cup.
While Kohli appears well on track — thanks to his outstanding form and peak fitness — the same can't be said for Rohit. The Hitman is currently grappling with both form and fitness issues, which makes his path to 2027 a bit more uncertain.
As things stand, Kohli seems like a strong contender to feature in the next ODI World Cup. For Rohit, however, the journey ahead could be more challenging.
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