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Instances When Cricketers Decided To Waive Off Their Earnings, Ft. Sanju Samson

Anurag Dasgupta

Players who waived off their salaries [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]Players who waived off their salaries [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) is the richest cricket board in the world, and every player earns more than cricketers from other nations. For example, the prize money for the Asia Cup 2025 winner is 2.6 crore, while a watch that Hardik Pandya wears is worth 20 crores, which signifies how much the Indian players earn.

It is not common for cricketers to waive off their entire salaries, which they have earned while playing for their nation or while playing in franchise leagues. However, there have been three instances in cricket when the stars decided to let go of their payment.

When cricketers boycotted their hard-earned money

Sanju Samson

In a heartwarming gesture, Sanju Samson, the Indian cricketer, decided to donate his full salary of ₹26.8 lakhs from the Kerala Cricket League to his teammates and coaches in the Kochi Blue Tigers. Samson was a key player for his team in the KCL, and he decided to donate his salary to help his team in the long run. The Kochi Blue Tigers spent more than half of their auction purse of 50 Lakhs on him.

Gautam Gambhir

In the 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gautam Gambhir was the Delhi Capitals captain and the cricketer had a torrid time with the bat and as a leader. The Capitals were languishing at the bottom and Gambhir decided not to continue as the captain of the team.

Midway through the season, he left the captaincy post, and the batter also decided to waive off his IPL salary of INR 2.8 crore for his poor performance.

Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan didn’t waive off his salary, but the Afghanistan legend dedicated his man of the match performance award to Mohammad Nabi, and it also included the bonus money. While he didn’t typically give away his salary, he gave the bonus money he earned from the match to his senior teammate.