Top 5 highest paid cricket captains

Cricket has emerged as one of the most popular sports in the world and draws a lot of attention. Although a limelight magnet, captaining a side is one of the most difficult and unrewarding jobs in the sport.

Cricket captains remain centrally contracted to their respective boards along with other cricketers and earn a good sum for the service they render. While the contract cycle might be different, the span is generally for one year and it gets renewed every year.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the richest board in the world with earnings shooting to a few thousand crores. But do they pay their cricketers well and are they the highest earners in the world?

📝 @RealShubmanGill📝 @mdsirajofficial 📝 @akshar2026Three new names in @BCCI's contract list for the men’s team for the period from October 2020 to September 2021 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/QwgFnUS0AW

— ICC (@ICC) April 16, 2021

Let us take a look at top 5 highest paid cricket captains:

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#5) Temba Bavuma

Temba Bavuma (Credit: Getty Images)

The Proteas batter took over leadership duties in the limited-overs format from wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock earlier this year. Bavuma is also South Africa's first permanently-appointed black African captain.

The top-order batter, who was predominantly seen as a Test cricketer, has represented South Africa in only nine ODIs and eight T20I games. He will have a task ahead of himself with a couple of mega events lined-up over the next few years.

Meanwhile, Bavuma earns INR 2.5 crore for Cricket South Africa annually. He is the fifth highest paid among cricket captains.

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#4) Dean Elgar

Dean Elgar (Credit: Getty Images)

The 33-year-old opener was entrusted with leadership duties in the red-ball format after Quinton de Kock-led South Africa lost to Pakistan 0-2.

Elgar has made his ambitions clear over the years and director of Cricket South Africa (CSA) Graeme Smith showed trust in the senior batter. Elgar enjoys a stellar record in Test cricket, scoring 4260 runs from 67 games at an average of 39.41.

Just in: Dean Elgar to captain South Africa in the third #SAvPAK Test pic.twitter.com/pZ7LR05Ezq

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 9, 2019

The southpaw earns an annual salary of INR 3.2 crore from his board and is the fourth highest paid cricket captain.

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#3) Aaron Finch/Tim Paine

Aaron Finch and Tim Paine (Credit: Getty Images)

Tim Paine and Aaron Finch stepped up to change the face of Australian cricket in the wake of the 'sandpaper gate' in 2018 in Johannesburg. Paine took over Test duties while Finch was given the captaincy for the limited-overs formats.

Steve Smith was stripped off from leadership roles for his involvement in the ball-tampering saga.

Since taking over, the duo have somewhat managed to revive Australia's pride. Although the side is no longer invincible, Paine and Finch ensured that the cricketers played the game in the right spirit.

Meanwhile, both cricketers are annually contracted by Cricket Australia. Aaron Finch and Tim Paine earn INR 4.87 crore per year which makes them the third highest paid cricket captains.

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#2) Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli (Credit: BCCI)

Team India skipper Virat Kohli is the richest cricketer alive on the planet. His net worth shoots up to almost INR 1000 crores considering all of his income that includes salary from BCCI, the money he earns from playing in the IPL, various brand endorsements and the assets he owns.

The talismanic run-scorer earns INR 7 crore from the BCCI annually for being a Grade A+ cricketer alongside Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. He is currently the second highest paid cricket captain.

Meanwhile, since taking over the baton from MS Dhoni, Kohli has taken Indian cricket to greater heights. However, he is yet to win an ICC event as captain and will have his eyes set on the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final followed by the T20 World Cup.

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#1) Joe Root

Joe Root (Credit: BCCI)

Joe Root, who leads the England Cricket Team in the Test format, is the highest earning cricket captain. The top-order batter draws an annual salary of INR 8.97 crore from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

While the ECB may not be as rich as some other boards like the BCCI, they ensure their players are compensated well for their services. Root is part of both red-ball and white-ball contracts.

He has led England well since taking over in 2017, winning 26 out of 50 games. His next international assignment will be the two-match Test series against New Zealand, starting June 2.