this intense pulsed light There’s no shortage of big-money contracts, but history shows that even the biggest stars aren’t immune to significant pay cuts. The latest example is Rishabh Pant, who returned to Delhi Capitals on a significantly reduced salary after a disappointing two years with Lucknow Supergiants.Pant was acquired by LSG ahead of IPL 2025 for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history at that time. However, after two lackluster seasons as captain and batsman, the team decided to part ways with him. In a high-profile deal completed ahead of IPL 2027, Pant returned to Delhi Capitals for Rs 15 crore, resulting in a significant salary cut of Rs 12 crore.The move highlights a recurring trend in the IPL, where player valuations can fluctuate significantly based on performance, team strategy and auction dynamics. Pant’s numbers at LSG never lived up to expectations. He scored 269 runs in IPL 2025 and 312 runs in 2026, while the team slipped from seventh place to the bottom of the table under his leadership.While Pant’s salary cut is one of the largest in IPL history, he is not the only one to do so. Venkatesh Iyer’s salary dropped from Rs 23.75 crore with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2025 to Rs 7 crore a year later with Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sam Curran’s percentage drop was even steeper, from Rs 18.5 crore with Kings XI Punjab to Rs 24 crore after returning to Chennai Super Kings.Fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Kyle Jamieson and Jhye Richardson have also experienced sharp valuation adjustments despite going into the auction with huge reputations. Pant’s return to Delhi may offer a fresh start, but his move is also a reminder that reputation alone rarely guarantees long-term financial security in the Indian Premier League.
Players take biggest pay cut in IPL history
- Rishabh Pant (Rs 27 crore to Rs 15 crore | Salary cut: Rs 12 crore)
- Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 23.75 crore to Rs 7 crore | Salary cut: Rs 16.75 crore)
- Mitchell Starc (Rs 24.75 crore to Rs 11.75 crore | Salary cut: Rs 13 crore)
- Sam Curran (Rs 18.5 crore to Rs 24 crore | Salary cut: Rs 16.1 crore)
- Kyle Jamieson (Rs 15 Crore to Rs 1 Crore | Salary Cut: Rs 14 Crore)
- Jhye Richardson (Rs 14-15 crore | Salary cut: Rs 125 million)