Gautam Gambhir, 5 Indians Lead IPL 4's Highest Paid Cricketers, Overtake Retained Players

by Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

  The IPL 4 auctions had plenty of drama for the first day and for the first time perhaps the IPL was really beginning to develop an Indian-ness  to it as the young Indian cricketers were picked up by the IPL franchisees for amounts that touched the roof as far as IPL pay cheques go, even surpassing the player retention limits that lowering Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni on the highest paid cricketer index.

   Gautam Gambhir began the IPL 4 auctions' day one on a sensational note, bagging $2.4 million with a contract with the Shah Rukh Khan owned Kolkata Knight Riders.

    Amongst the top five highest paid cricketers, there was not a single foreign cricketer. And that list was followed by the players who were already with their franchisees from the first three IPLs as part of the IPL 4 player retention.

      That the IPL franchisees are absolutely business like in strategy is reflected in the fact that they have decided to put their money where it will multiply - with the Indian cricketers who comprise the 7:4 ratio in relation to the foreign cricketers. That the franchisees are interested in investing in those in the present form as well as the youth is reflected in their choice of cricketers.

     Gautam Gambhir makes his way to the top at $2.4 million with the Kolkata Knight Riders.
     Yusuf Pathan shares the second spot with Robin Uthappa on $ 2.1 million with Kolkata Knight Riders and Puen Warriors respectively.
     Rohit Sharma is probably the biggest surprise at $2 million with the Mumbai Indians.
     Irfan Pathan rounds up the top five IPL 4 earners at $1.9 million having joined the Delhi Daredevils.

     By comparison, the retention value of the top player in the franchisee is fixed at $.18 million which is shared by Sachin Tendulkar ( Mumbai Indians ), Mahendra Singh Dhoni ( Chennai Super Kings ), Virender Sehwag ( Delhi Daredevils), Virat Kohli ( Royal  Challengers Bangalore ) and Shane Warne ( Rajasthan Royals ).

      While the price tags have shocked many, the fact that the franchisees have actually invested in the Indian cricketers in not at all surprising given that they are the bankable commodity in the Indian edition, certainly a transformation from the first time the auctions were conducted when the Australians were the hottest property about the IPL town.