Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises bid on the players at the auctions based on their skill sets, experience, and current form. Comparatively, an in-form, experienced player easily rakes up a higher salary for the season than a rookie player who has proved his potential in the lucrative tournament.
For instance, premier India all-rounder Axar Patel’s retention fee is INR 12 crore for Delhi Capitals. His retention fee has increased more than 2x after being bought by the franchise for INR 5 crore ahead of the 2019 season. The increase in his retention fee is solely due to his all-around performance across formats for the national team in recent times.
On the contrary, rising Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma was retained for INR 1.70 crore. Varma had displayed his batting exploits in the previous edition, averaging 36.09 and continues to establish himself as a dependable player in the ongoing season.
In the IPL 2023 clash between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, both Axar and Varma made crucial contributions for their respective franchises. The India all-rounder scored 54 runs off 25 deliveries, with four boundaries and six sixes, while Varma played a quick-fire of 41 runs off 29 deliveries. The 20-year-old banked on four sixes and one boundary in his splendid knock.
The established Axar makes around INR 85,71,428 per match in the lucrative tournament, while the young Varma fetches approximately INR 12,13,285 every match. The difference between their salary per match is INR 73,58,143.
The worth of the sixes from Axar’s bat is INR 14,28,571, while the total value of Varma’s four sixes is INR 3,03,321. While it is certain that Axar has a higher value than Varma due to his all-around prowess, the latter could rake up much more from the franchise in the coming years.
Incidentally, Axar contributed the most runs in the match, thanks to his natural slogging instinct, which has made him one of the best all-rounders in the international circuit. It was also his highest score and the first half-century in the IPL 2023. He has amassed 108 runs from four matches this season at an average of 27.
However, Varma continues to rise in stature, and his current IPL 2023 stats are a testament to that. Statistically, Varma is the highest run scorer for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing season. He has amassed 147 runs in three matches at a staggering average of 73.50. His highest score in the ongoing season is 84, not out, and his best in the lucrative tournament.
