KL Rahul IPL Salary: Year-wise earnings from 2013 to 2026
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KL Rahul (Source: Getty Images)
Published - 25 Apr 2026, 07:48 PM• Read time - 12 mins
While KL Rahul may not be in the scheme of things of the national selectors for India's T20I outfit, he is one of the biggest names in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Rahul is one of the most exceptionally talented players in the IPL. With over 5000 runs, the wicketkeeper is one of the top-five run-getters in the cash-rich league.
The right-hander was picked up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the IPL 2013 auction for INR 9.12 lakhs. However, he could only get two batting opportunities out of the five games he played in the season. He scored 20 runs at an average of 10 and a strike rate of 125.00.
RCB released him after the end of the season, and he then went into the pool of players who were to go under the hammer at the IPL 2014 auction. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) snaffled him at the auction for INR 1 crore and gave him a fair amount of opportunities to prove his mettle.
Rahul scored 166 runs in eight innings at an average of 20.75 and a strike rate of 101.21. He was retained for the same price the next season, and he aggregated 142 runs at an average of 28.40 and a strike rate of 112.69, including an unbeaten 44.
Not largely impressed with his output with the willow, SRH traded him in the pre-season trade window to his former franchise, RCB, for the same price.
2016 was when Rahul's calibre came to the fore for the first time in the lucrative tournament. He amassed 397 runs in 12 innings at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 146.49, including four fifties and a best of 68*. However, he didn't get the chance to replicate it in IPL 2017 as he was ruled out pre-season with an injury.
Rahul was subsequently released by RCB and found a new home in the form of Kings XI Punjab ahead of the 2018 season. Punjab splurged INR 11 crore on Rahul to rope him in, and he repaid their faith by scoring big, four seasons on the trot.
He was released before the 2022 mega auction and bought by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for INR 17 crore. He played three seasons (2022, 2023, 2024) for LSG before they released him.
Delhi Capitals (DC) showed the most interest in him at the 2025 auction and spent INR 14 crore to bring him on board.
Also check: Virat Kohli IPL salary
KL Rahul's IPL salary history:
| Season | Team | Salary (INR crore) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | DC | 14.00 |
| 2025 | DC | 14.00 |
| 2024 | LSG | 17.00 |
| 2023 | LSG | 17.00 |
| 2022 | LSG | 17.00 |
| 2021 | PBKS | 11.00 |
| 2020 | KXIP | 11.00 |
| 2019 | KXIP | 11.00 |
| 2018 | KXIP | 11.00 |
| 2017 (Ruled out pre-season with injury) | RCB | 1.00 |
| 2016 (Traded pre-season from SRH to RCB) | RCB | 1.00 |
| 2015 | SRH | 1.00 |
| 2014 | SRH | 1.00 |
| 2013 | RCB | 9.57 lakhs |
| Total | 127.09 cr |
*Please note that this is based on officially available data; exact figures may vary.
