The Indian Premier League (IPL) has served as a platform for the local and the international cricketers to showcase their talent at a grand stage. Many players have made huge progress in their respective careers after performing well in the IPL.
Many other nations have their own T20 league, but the cricketers prioritize the IPL because of the money involved in the competition. The IPL franchises bid enormous amounts in the auction to sign their preferred players.
Since the IPL squads comprise a majority of the Indian players, it is obvious that the Indian cricketers have earned the most money from IPL. Talking about the foreign countries, the Australian players have been in high demand in the IPL.
Australia was the most dominant cricket team when the IPL began, and the Aussies are still in the Top 3 cricket-playing countries in the world. In this article, we will have a look at the five Australian players who have made the most money playing in the IPL.
(Source – Moneyball)
James Faulkner – 34.34 Crores
Australia’s fast-bowling all-rounder James Faulkner was one of the biggest match-winners in the IPL during the mid-2010s decade. After playing a season each for the Pune Warriors and the Kings XI Punjab, Faulkner became a star with his all-round brilliance for the Rajasthan Royals.
He played his last two seasons for the Gujarat Lions and earned 7.5 Crores in the 2017 season. Unfortunately, no team showed interest in his services after GL’s exit.
Steven Smith – 45.62 Crores
Former Rising Pune Supergiant skipper Steve Smith has been a part of five franchises in his IPL career. The right-handed batsman started his journey with the Royal Challengers Bangalore team. Later, the Kochi Tuskers Kerala, the Pune Warriors, and the Rajasthan Royals offered him an IPL contract.
Smith captained the inaugural IPL winners in the 2008 season. Unfortunately, his team finished at the last position on the IPL 2020 standings. Smith took 12.50 Crores home for playing in the United Arab Emirates, while the Royal Challengers Bangalore had paid him only 13 lakhs for his services in 2010.
Glenn Maxwell – 49.17 Crores
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has made a name for himself with his hard-hitting batting ability. The right-handed batsman became a huge name in the IPL after his exploits for the Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2014. Although he has not fired in the last few seasons, Maxwell has earned enormous sum of money from the league.
In Indian Premier league 2020, the Kings XI Punjab paid him 10.75 Crores for his services. Besides, the Delhi Capitals had signed him for a whopping 9 Crores in the 2018 season. It is pertinent to note that Maxwell earned only 10 lakhs for representing Delhi in 2012.
David Warner – 58.50 Crores
Former IPL Orange Cap winner David Warner is the captain of the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise in the league. Warner played his first few seasons for the Delhi Capitals before the Hyderabad-based franchise signed him in the auction.
Despite missing the 2018 season, Warner is at the second position on this list. He has earned almost 60 Crores by batting in the IPL. His most expensive contract is his current deal with the Orange Army, who are paying him 12.5 Crores per season.
Shane Watson – 77.13 Crores
Standing at the number one position on this elite list is the Australian all-rounder Shane Watson. The former Rajasthan Royals player is a 2-time recipient of the Most Valuable Player of the Season award. Besides, he has also won the Indian Premier League championship multiple times.
Watson started his journey with the Jaipur-based franchise and later represented the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Chennai Super Kings. RR paid him his highest salary of 12.50 Crores per season for donning the purple jersey in Indian Premier League 2014 and 2015.
