Navjot Singh Sidhu and Ravi Shastri, two of the most iconic voices in Indian cricket, may have different styles behind the mic, but both command immense presence whenever they’re on air. While Shastri brings gravitas and authority to English commentary, Sidhu lights up the Hindi feed with his rhymes, punchlines, and flamboyant energy. Now, it turns out Sidhu also leads in another department: paycheque.
Sidhu the highest-paid commentator?
According to a report by CricBlogger, Sidhu, who made his return to the commentary box during IPL 2025, is currently the highest-paid Indian commentator, earning a whopping ₹15 lakh per day. In contrast, Ravi Shastri, who continues to feature across formats in English broadcasts, reportedly earns ₹12 lakh per day.
What’s surprising is that Sidhu, known primarily for his Hindi commentary, is now ahead of even some global legends in terms of match-day salary. Fans, particularly Hindi listeners, tune in to love what new punchline he comes up with. The Shayari he puts across and the anecdotes is what fans look forward to when Sidhu’s on air.
Meanwhile, Shastri is a long-time commentator, former India coach, and a World Cup winner. He has called several iconic moments in Indian cricket history, none more legendary than the “Dhoni finishes off in style” during the 2011 ODI World Cup.
Indian Cricket Commentators: Daily Salary (Reported)
- Navjot Singh Sidhu – ₹15 lakh
- Ravi Shastri – ₹12 lakh
- Virender Sehwag – ₹10 lakh
- Ashish Nehra – ₹9 lakh
- Irfan Pathan – ₹7 lakh
- Sunil Gavaskar – ₹6 lakh
- Dinesh Karthik – ₹6 lakh
- Sanjay Manjrekar – ₹5–6 lakh
- Anil Kumble – ₹5–6 lakh
- Parthiv Patel – ₹4–5 lakh
- Ajay Jadeja – ₹4 lakh
- Cheteshwar Pujara – ₹4 lakh
- Deep Dasgupta – ₹3–4 lakh
- Harsha Bhogle – ₹3 lakh
