Rs 1500 for Kapil Dev to 6 lakh for Virat Kohli: How cricket became the richest sport in India
Cricket in India transformed from a humble pastime into a financial powerhouse. The evolution of cricket earnings in India tells a story of passion, innovation, disruption, and commerce.
From the times when Kapil Dev received Rs 1500 as match fees during the 1983 World Cup to Virat Kohli getting Rs 6 lakh per ODI and an annual BCCI contract worth Rs 7 crore, it has been a journey that has blown the imagination.
This blog on Starexchange will take you back to the whole journey of Indian cricket and how Indian cricket grew as the richest game in India.
Early Days: Struggles and Minimal Rewards
Cricket in India didn’t start with big money. After independence, the sport grew slowly. Players often struggled financially. It gives you an idea about the money involved in the olden days if we are to compare Kapil Dev Rs 1500 match fee during ICC World Cup 1983 with today’s figures. It was not so, at that time to be an Indian cricketer did not mean riches or comfort.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was not flush with money into the pockets at the time. It relied on match tickets and on-field advertising for revenue. The board lacked revenue streams and business vision. Thus, player pay and board finances both remained modest.
This phase marked the first chapter in the evolution of cricket earnings in India — a phase with limited commercial links and no broadcast rights deals.
The Turning Point: Realising Cricket’s Commercial Value
The BCCI had reached a crossroads in the early 1990s. A proposal to televise matches internationally changed the board’s perspective on earnings. South Africa’s tour manager offered BCCI $40,000 per match to broadcast a series in South Africa, far more than the board expected. This deal opened Indian cricket’s eyes to the huge value of broadcast rights.
Soon after, BCCI sold India’s home series broadcast rights to Trans World International (TWI) for $600,000. That was a huge deal back then and signalled a shift in how Indian cricket valued its products.
However, this new wave hit pushback from Doordarshan, India’s state broadcaster. Under the 1985 Telecom Act, Doordarshan held exclusive rights to broadcast matches in India. The government then invoked an old Telegraph Act in 1993 to stop private broadcasters from uplinking signals, leading to a legal and political battle.
The dispute hurt fans worldwide, who couldn’t watch the 1993 Hero Cup live due to the conflict. Eventually, the Supreme Court ruled that airwaves belong to the public, ending Doordarshan’s exclusive control. This landmark judgement changed Indian cricket’s future forever by creating a free market for broadcast rights.
Broadcast Rights and the Big Money Era
After the Supreme Court decision, the BCCI began selling broadcast rights on its terms. This ushered in the next key phase in the evolution of cricket earnings in India.
By the late 1990s, broadcast deals became big business. International boards and private networks competed for Indian cricket matches. BCCI realised that millions of viewers and rising advertiser demand could fuel massive revenue.
Broadcasting soon became the biggest revenue stream. Over the years, media rights deals grew spectacularly. In the 2018–2023 cycle, Indian board broadcast rights were sold for a record Rs 16,347.5 crore for IPL and Rs 6,138.1 crore for India’s international matches.
IPL: The Biggest Game Changer
There is nothing that changed Indian cricket as much as the Indian Premier League (IPL). The IPL, launched in 2008, brought a business-like franchise model merging sport and entertainment. There were eight teams with star players, celebrity owners and major sponsorships.
This T20 league accelerated the evolution of cricket earnings in India more than any prior development. Brands rushed in. Tickets sold out. Ads sold for premium rates. Media rights skyrocketed. Within no time the IPL emerged as one of the wealthiest and most competitive sports leagues in the world.
In 2023, Star Exchange evaluated that the brand valuation of the IPL surged to $10.7 billion. Each IPL match’s media value touched around $14.2 million (about ₹118.5 crore).
For the BCCI, IPL revenue became the financial backbone. In FY2023–24, the board’s total income reached nearly ₹9,742 crore, with IPL contributing about ₹5,761 crore.
These huge sums are a stark contrast to the board’s early days, when match tickets and minimal advertising formed the entire revenue base.
BCCI’s Financial Muscle and Global Dominance
The BCCI today stands tall as the richest cricket board in the world. It earns from broadcast deals, sponsorships, IPL central revenue, ticket sales, licensing, and international distributions. The board’s income has surged year after year, doubling over the last five years with reserves crossing massive figures.
Even though cricket started as a modest sport in India, it now rules global cricket revenue. The board’s financial strength influences the International Cricket Council’s decisions, revenue sharing, and global schedules because India generates most of the game’s commercial value.
Players’ Earnings: From Modest to Millions
While BCCI grew rich, Indian cricketers’ earnings soared too. With Kapil Dev’s Rs 1500 match fee, cricket earnings began to evolve in India. In those years, players played more for the passion and pride than for pay.
Today’s stars earn massive match fees, contracts, and IPL salaries. A modern-day icon, Virat Kohli is paid Rs 6 lakh per ODI and remains an important player earning an annual central contract of Rs 7 crore.
The IPL is where top players make crores a season. Kohli’s IPL annual retainer amount had reached Rs 21 crore in 2025. It’s also how the BCCI earnings and match fees and IPL pay combine to make the top cricketers earn upwards of the value of Rs 30 crore a year.
Younger stars also thrive. And players such as Shubman Gill get paid a fortune through BCCI contracts, match fees, IPL money and endorsements – accumulating staggering net worth before hitting their mid-20s.
This financial uplift changed how players live and play. It gave them comfort, security, global recognition, and lucrative off-field opportunities. For more such details, you can follow Starexch.
Why Cricket Earns So Much in India
Cricket is rich in India for three reasons:
- Enormous fanbase: With millions of ardent cricket fans, there is a huge demand for live matches and commercials.
- Broadcast value: Media rights for international fixtures, as well as the IPL, run into billions. Networks and platforms pay top money to secure them.
- Commercial ecosystem: Sponsorships, merchandise, fantasy sports, advertising and the digital platforms are always increasing revenues.
This turned out to be a heady recipe, which guaranteed that cricket would earn more money than any other sport in India. It became a revenue powerhouse with global influence.
Future of Cricket Earnings in India
The evolution of cricket earnings in India shows one clear trend: upward movement. Earnings will grow with new media platforms, digital consumption, and emerging formats like The Hundred and Legends League.
Additionally there are women’s cricket and domestic leagues bringing in new sources of revenue. The strategy adopted by BCCI is going to make the contest financially stronger and player allured even more.
Cricket is ingrained in the culture of India. With increasing followers and international impact, earnings probably will just keep escalating. For more such blogs, you can follow Starexch.
FAQs
1. What is a “The evolution of cricket earnings in India”?
It is about how cricket earnings, player salaries and the commercial worth of the sport have escalated in India over time.
2. How much did Kapil Dev get after winning 1983 World Cup?
Kapil Dev was paid 1500 Rs per match during World Cup 1983, indicating that player pay in early years was nothing.
3. What is Virat Kohli`s income per ODI currently?
Virat Kohli gets approximately Rs 6 lakh per game while his central contract is valued at around Rs 7 crore a year.
4. How much did IPL contribute to Indian cricket earnings?
The value of cricket soared with the advent of the IPL, as a complex and lucrative franchise system was set up, who did deals worth billions for broadcast rights and commercial tie-ups.
