Jasprit Bumrah, not Virat Kohli, is BCCI’s highest-paid cricketer in 2020

India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has become BCCI’s highest-paid cricketer in 2020. Had Indian captain Virat Kohli played the ongoing Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, he would have topped the list. Bumrah reportedly pocketed INR 1.38 crore from match fees this year.

Like Kohli, Bumrah has a Grade A+ contract. The Gujarat pacer is playing his fourth Test this year. He has also played nine ODIs and eight T20Is in 2020. An Indian cricketer earns INR 15 lakhs, INR 6 lakhs and INR 3 lakhs for Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively.

Bumrah, who earns an annual salary of INR 7 crore through the BCCI annual contract, earned INR 1.38 crore through match fees. Kohli is second in the list, having picked up INR 1.29 crore.

Ravindra Jadeja, who has a Grade A contract and pockets INR 5 crore annually from his national team contract, is third in the list in terms of earnings through match fees. The Saurashtra all-rounder, who is currently playing his second Test of the year, has played nine ODIs and four T20Is this year. Jadeja has reportedly pocketed INR 96 lakhs this year.

India’s limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma is the only other Indian cricketer to have a Grade A+ contract. Injuries have restricted Rohit’s international appearances this year. Having appeared in only three ODIs and two Tests, Rohit drew a cheque of INR 30 lakhs as match fees.

Jasprit Bumrah ending 2020 on a high

The year 2020 didn’t really begin well for Jasprit Bumrah who struggled to replicate his previous white-ball success. However, he returned strong in the Indian Premier League (IPL), being one of the most valuable players and helping the Rohit-led Mumbai Indians (MI) to a record fifth title.

Jasprit Bumrah also played a role in India’s ODI win at Canberra, before making a difference in the ongoing Test series against Australia. Bumrah’s four-for in the first innings of the Melbourne Boxing Day Test has given India a strong chance in the ongoing Test.