Virat Kohli to pay heavy Income Taxes this IPL Season: Know How much Tax Kohli will pay on his Rs.21 Crore IPL Salary this Year?

Virat Kohli, a popular name in Indian Cricket History all time and one of the standout performers in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Royal Challenger Bangalore’s key player Kohli has remained one of the top performers in IPL since its inception.

How much salary does he earn in the IPL based on his performance and popularity? In IPL 2025 (18th edition), the Royal Challengers Bengaluru star is set to earn a hefty Rs.21 crore, reflecting a 40 percent hike over the last year, as per reports.

Kohli is Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s highest-paid player, earning Rs.21 crore. He is followed by Josh Hazlewood (Rs.12.50 crore) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Rs.10.75 crore). On the other hand, the RCB’s lowest-paid players, such as Swastik Chikara, Manoj Bhandage, Abhinandan Singh, and Mohit Rathee, were signed for just Rs.30 lakh each.

Kohli’s earnings have increased significantly since his IPL debut in 2008. As per data available online, he began with a modest salary of Rs.12 lakh in 2008 and 2010, which increased to Rs.8.28 crore in 2011-2013. From 2014 to 2017, his salary was Rs.12.5 crore every season, which jumped to Rs.17 crore between 2018 and 2021. According to the reports, his earnings have increased to an all-time high of Rs.21 crore in 2025, up from a little decrease to Rs.15 crore between 2022 and 2024.

He has earned a total of Rs.179.70 crore from the IPL since 2008 so far.

How much Tax will Virat Kohli pay on his IPL Salary this Year?

Here is Virat Kohli’s expected tax liability based on his IPL salary of Rs.21 crore for the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2025.

Because Kohli is not an RCB employee but receives an IPL contract fee, his income is classified as “income from business or profession” under Section 28 of the Income Tax Act of 1961.

Tax Calculation

Virat Kohli falls into the highest income tax bracket as a resident individual earning more than Rs.5 crore. Assuming he chooses the new tax regime (which is more beneficial for high-income earners), his tax liability will be as follows:

Income Slab as per New Tax Regime

Since his IPL earnings surpass Rs.15 lakh, he will be taxed at 30% on the entire amount.

Basic Tax Calculation

Rs.21 crore x 30% = Rs.6.3 crore

Surcharge (as income is above Rs.5 crore)

Income more than Rs.5 crore attracts a surcharge of 25% on tax:

Rs.6.3 crore × 25% = Rs 1.575 crore

Health and Education Cess (4% on Tax + Surcharge)

(Rs.6.3 crore + Rs.1.575 crore) × 4% = Rs.0.315 crore

Tax Liability

Income Tax = Rs.6.3 crore

Surcharge (25%) = Rs.1.575 crore

Cess (4%) = Rs.0.315 crore

Total Tax Liability (Rs.6.3 crore + Rs.1.575 crore + (Rs.0.315 crore) = Rs 8.19 crore

Net Take-Home Income After Tax

IPL Salary = Rs.21 crore

Tax Payable = Rs.8.19 crore

After Tax Income = Rs.12.81 crore

Deductions that can be Avail?

If he has business expenses like agent fees, fitness expenses and brand management, he can deduct these under Section 37(1) before calculating taxable income.

Other kinds of income, such as endorsements and investments, will be taxed separately.