The job of a captain in cricket is a tough and thankless one. Whenever you win, the credit is given to the ones with great performances, saying that they ere the catalyst for the win. Lose, and the entire blame falls upon the captain, saying that the right players were not selected, or the crucial decisions were not taken when needed, or just plain and simple not fit to lead the side. However, the intricate nuances that make a captain and the minute details that the captain sees and acts accordingly are not visible to almost the entirety of the fan base.
This is why the job of a captain is equally frustrating and rewarding. And this is why the captains are paid equally as well, because they are the leaders, and they have to be paid like one as well. What good is a leader if he does not have a better remuneration than the rest?
So based on that, we have listed the salaries of cricket captains across the world:
1. Jos Buttler- 9 crore INR PA
Jos Buttler recently took over the reins of the captaincy of the England white-ball side, after the legendary Eoin Morgan decided to walk into the sunset by announcing his retirement earlier this year. While the results under Buttler’s leadership have not been that great, and Buttler himself has had a rough start to life as a captain, his remuneration is the highest among any captain in the world, and his batting at the top of the order makes it pretty much money well-spent. Buttler will be looking to prove that he is value for money by ensuring that England win the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia, where they will be one of the favorites in the tournament.
2. Ben Stokes- 9 crore INR PA
Ben Stokes has enjoyed a superlative start to his life as England’s new test captain. In the 7 tests that he has captained, England have won 6 of them, with the victories coming against powerhouses like New Zealand, India, and current WTC table-toppers South Africa. So it is safe to say the New-Zealand born Englishman is proving to be absolute value for the money that he is being paid, which is on level terms with England’s white-ball skipper Jos Buttler. While England cannot progress to the WTC finals for this year, the side under Stokes has moved in the right direction and the hope is that it will keep on going that way.
3. Rohit Sharma- 7 crore INR PA
Coming in at number 3 is India’s new all-format skipper, and the most successful captain of the IPL- Rohit Sharma. Sharma has been effortless in his captaincy like he is with his batting, and his pay packet is a testament to that. However, for all the hype surrounding his captaincy, India’s disappointing exit from the Asia Cup has raised some questions about his body language and his control over his emotions, but the hope is that he comes good in the T20 World Cup.
4. Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins- 5 crore INR PA
Coming in next are the white-ball and red-ball skippers of the formidable Australian side. While Pat Cummins has seamlessly slotted in the role of test skipper after Tim Paine took an indefinite leave of absence, ensuring that Australia continues their good run in Tests, Finch has endured arguably his worse run of form in his career, that coincided with his term as captain. While both have been paid handsomely, it is Cummins who currently is proving to be value for money. With Finch announcing his retirement from the ODIs, Cricket Australia will be looking for an able successor for the same.
5. Dean Elgar- 3.25 crore INR PA
Dean Elgar is a man who symbolizes grit and determination in the truest sense of the word. And his style of leadership is the same as him- determined and no-nonsense. And that has benefitted this new crop of ambitious proteas who have now turned into stone-faced competitors. While he is not paid enough compared to his counterparts, Elgar does not care one bit.
6. Temba Bavuma- 2.5 crore INR PA
Another leader who has slowly but surely commanded the respect of his players, Temba Bavuma went from a purported novice to an astute leader of men, which is now reflected in the way this new bunch of young players play as well as talk about Bavuma in high regard. If there is anyone who currently needs a raise, it is this guy, because of the amount of good work he has done, he surely is underpaid.
7. Kane Williamson- 2 crore INR PA
New Zealand’s Mr. Dependable is next on the list. After the high of winning the inaugural WTC title, the fortunes of the side have spiralled since then, and with a large number of key players refusing central contracts due to committing to other leagues, Williamson remains a crucial cog in the fortunes of the Kiwis in the near future.
8. Kraigg Braithwaite- 1.75 crore INR PA
The West Indies Test skipper is one of the highest paid in the side, which explains a lot about the current state of cricket in the Caribbean. With a vast majority of the players either refusing to play for the windies or playing in leagues across the globe for a hefty payday, Braithwaite is one of the few who has stuck with the national side.
9. Babar Azam- 65 lakhs INR PA
One of the best batsmen in the world and the one who is currently the crown jewel in this Pakistan side, the fact that Babar Azam is one of the lowest-paid captains in world cricket is baffling. But if you take Pakistan’s recent performances in major tournaments, maybe the amount he is paid is justified. But then, its just us talking.
10. Dimuth Karunaratne and Dasun Shanaka- 50 lakhs
With the economic crisis raging in Sri Lanka at the moment, both of Lanka’s skippers will be fortunate to be paid what is considered to be large sum in the country’s financial perspective, but both of the skippers have ensured that Sri Lanka are slowly and steadily becoming one of the old powerhouses again. With Shanaka winning the Asia Cup, and Dimuth orchestrating some famous wins in the test circuit, the path to revival is well and truly on
