5 costliest West Indian players in the IPL

Players from no other nation have held such sway over the imagination of IPL fans as the gladiators from the West Indies. Their skills, power-hitting capabilities, athleticism, inventive bowling and match-turning abilities have made them some of the most sought-after talents among IPL teams.

It is also not a surprise that the West Indies have won two out of the last three World T20 events either.

Naturally, IPL teams paid top dollar for these players over the years and are expected to continue to do so in the years to come. Here is a look at 5 West Indian players who have commanded the highest salaries till date.

#5 Andre Russell – Rs. 7 crore

Andre Russell is perhaps the very definition of a late bloomer. After his average stint with the Delhi Daredevils, the Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for only Rs. 60 lakhs (around $97,000) in 2014 and in the very same year, he played a pivotal role in their title triumph.

Since then, the all-rounder has been a mainstay and despite missing the tournament last year due to a doping ban, he was retained by KKR ahead of the 2018 auction. It is interesting to note that his salary is now Rs. 7 crore (around $1.07 million), making him the 5th costliest West Indian player in the history of the IPL.

#4 Jofra Archer- Rs 7.2 crore

Jofra Archer

The 23-year-old all-rounder's dream is to play for England someday but for now, Jofra Archer is a West Indian cricketer from Barbados and one of the hottest properties in world cricket at the moment. His performances in domestic leagues in England and Australia last year shot him into prominence.

Hence, it was not really a surprise when franchises queued up for his signature at the IPL auction in 2018. He had a base price of only Rs. 40 lakhs but furious bidding by 5 franchises eventually took his price through the roof. Eventually, it was the Rajasthan Royals who came up with the winning bid of Rs. 7.2 crore (around $1.1 million).

#3 Chris Gayle – Rs. 8.4 crore

Chris Gayle

It is no surprise that the player who redefined T20 batting and played some of the most unforgettable innings in IPL history is also one of the highest paid players. Chris Gayle got into the Royal Challengers Bangalore as a mid-season replacement back in 2011 but over the years, became an indispensable member of the side.

He was subsequently retained and his actual salary was revealed by the IPL back in 2016, due to demands for greater transparency. Gayle was one of very few players who was actually paid more than what it cost for the team to retain him. Rs. 7.5 crores were deducted from RCB’s budget but the Jamaican was actually paid Rs. 8.4 crores (around $1.3 million). He was released this year and moved to Kings XI Punjab for his base price of Rs. 2 crores (around $308,000).

#2 Sunil Narine - Rs. 8.5 crore

Sunil Narine

The Trinidadian wizard joined the Kolkata Knight Riders back in 2012 after the franchise fought off intense competition and came up with the winning bid of $700,000. The very same year, Sunil Narine’s exceptional bowling was responsible for KKR’s first IPL triumph. He has remained with the Knight Riders ever since. During this period, he has also become one of the costliest players in the league and one of the costliest West Indian cricketers ever to have played in the IPL.

The fact that he has added power hitting to his arsenal has only raised his value. Ahead of the 2018 auction, KKR did not take any risks and retained him for Rs. 8.5 crore (around $1.3 million).

#1 Kieron Pollard - Rs. 9.7 crore

Kieron Pollard

The West Indian all-rounder’s incredible display of six-hitting in the Champions League T20 in 2009 raised his stock and in the 2010 IPL auction, the Mumbai Indians picked him up for $750,000. Over the years, he continued to be a vital member of the side and lifted the trophy thrice with the franchise.

He was retained twice by the Mumbai Indians and in the revelations of 2016, Pollard’s actual salary became known to the public. It was the highest any West Indian had ever earned in the IPL. Although retaining him cost the Mumbai Indians Rs. 9.5 crores in terms of purse deduction, Pollard was actually paid Rs. 9.7 crores (around $1.5 million).

In the 2018 IPL auction, many franchises were interested in securing his services but the Mumbai Indians used their right to match card to retain him for Rs. 5.4 crore (around $830,000).