Today we will discuss the salary of a Big Bash League player in Australia.
Australia has won yet another Cricket World Cup. Can this victory inspire the Big Bash League to capture the public’s imagination and become the second-best league again after the IPL?
However, there’s one question on every cricket fan’s mind: just how much do these players make?
BBL Cricketer Salary – By the Numbers
The average salary of a Big Bash League player (BBL) is $166,667 AUD or $110,312 USD (maximum 18 players in squad with a purse of $3 million AUD or $1.99 million USD). The salary purse of a BBL team increased from $1.9 million AUD in the 2022-23 season to $3 million AUD in 2023-24.
The average salary for a domestic Big Bash League cricketer is $161,544 USD ($19,869,900 USD purse for a total of maximum 123 domestic players). The average salary for an overseas BBL cricketer is $196,667 USD ($4,130,000 USD for 21 overseas players that were picked in the BBL overseas draft).
The average WBBL player earns about $48,800 AUD or $30,812 USD, which is about 3.5 times less than the men’s BBL counterpart.
Big Bash League (BBL) – How Much Was Each Draft Pick?
The overseas Big Bash League (BBL) draft was announced earlier this year.
The draft picks ranged from $100,000 AUD (Bronze) to $420,000 (Platinum). Teams also had the option to retain one player in the draft (The ‘Rashid Khan’ rule).
Draft Pick
Salary Amount
Platinum
$420,000 AUD ($277,985 USD)
Gold
$300,000 AUD ($198,561 USD)
Silver
$200,000 AUD ($132,374 USD)
Bronze
$100,000 AUD ($66,187 USD)
*Note, the conversion rate we used was as follows: $1 AUD = $0.66 USD as of 11/30/2023.
BBL Draft Picks – Salary of Big Bash League Player
1. Platinum Draft Pick ($277,985 USD)
Harry Brook* (Melbourne Stars), Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers), Chris Jordan (Hobart Hurricanes), Quinton de Kock (Melbourne Renegades), Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder), Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers), Colin Munro (Brisbane Heat)
Note: The Platinum Draft player salary will vary as per the availability of the player as follows:
Full Season – $420,000 AUD ($277,985 USD)
10 Matches – $400,000 AUD ($264,748 USD)
9 Matches – $380,000 AUD ($251,511 USD)
8 Matches – $360,000 AUD ($238,273 USD)
*Gold, Silver, Bronze level players do not have a minimum number of matches requirement
2. Gold Draft Pick ($198,561 USD)
Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars), Jamie Overton (Adelaide Strikers), Sam Hain (Hobart Hurricanes), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Melbourne Renegades), Zaman Khan (Sydney Thunder), James Vince (Sydney Sixers), Sam Billings (Brisbane Heat), Zak Crawley (Perth Scorchers)
3. Silver Draft Pick ($132,374 USD)
Laurie Evans (Perth Scorchers), Paul Walter (Brisbane Heat), Corey Anderson (Hobart Hurricanes)
4. Bronze Draft Pick ($66,187 USD)
Usama Mir (Melbourne Stars), Adam Hose (Adelaie Strikers), Rehan Ahmed (Sydney Sixers)
*Note: Rashid Khan, Harry Brook, Pooran, Rehan Ahmed are some of the high profile withdrawals from the 2023-24 BBL season.
Final Thoughts
The Big Bash League players in Australia will be making, on average, more money than they have in the years past.
The popularity of the BBL has drastically reduced over the years, and they are trying to make amends by luring the top players with more compensation.
The average salary for a professional cricketer in the BBL now ranges from $66,000 to $280,000 USD. Will this be enough to fend off competition from the SA20 & ILT20 and more importantly, will the crowds come back?
What is the average salary for a Big Bash League (BBL) player in Australia?
The average salary of a Big Bash League (BBL) player is $166,667 AUD or $110,312 USD. Each BBL team has a purse of $3 million AUD for 18 players total.
Is the Big Bash League (BBL) the richest cricket league in the world?
No, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is the richest cricket league in the world. The BBL is the fourth richest cricket league in the world (based on average player salary).
Who was the most expensive player in the overseas BBL draft?
Harry Brook* (Melbourne Stars), Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers), Chris Jordan (Hobart Hurricanes), Quinton de Kock (Melbourne Renegades), Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder), Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers), Colin Munro (Brisbane Heat). They each have the potential to earn up to $420,000 AUD ($277,985 USD) based on their season availability.
The first match of the Big Bash is already upon us. Glenn Maxwell’s Melbourne Stars suffered a horror loss by a mammoth 152 runs. If this game is anything to go by…we are going to be in for a long journey.
Here is everything you need to know about BBL 2021 quickly.
Before we begin with the BBL 2021 squads, here are the Ashes squad for the first two Tests as well as the Australia A squad that is due to face the England Lions between Tests. In case of conflicts, several players might miss some of their Big Bash matches.
We might also see some early overseas signings replaced due to COVID, Australian quarantine rules, and visa issues.
Ashes XI
David Warner, 2. Marcus Harris, 3. Marnus Labuschagne, 4. Steven Smith 9VC), 5. Travis Head, 6. Cameron Green, 7. Alex Carey (WK), 8. Pat Cummins (C), 9. Josh Hazlewood, 10. Mitchell Starc, 11. Nathan Lyon
Matt Renshaw, 2. Josh Inglis (WK), 3. Nic Maddinson, 4. Mitchell Marsh, 5. Alex Carey (WK), 6. Ashton Agar, 7. Henry Hunt, 8. Bryce Street, 9. Sean Abbott, 10. Scott Boland, 11. Mark Steketee
*Teams highlighted in their respective jersey colors
Adelaide Strikers
Captain: Travis Head (C), Alex Carey (VC/WK)
Australia Internationals: Peter Siddle, Matt Renshaw, Fawad Ahmed, Daniel Worrall (3 ODIs), Wes Agar (2 ODIs)
Australia Domestic: Jake Weatherald, Harry Conway, Ryan Gibson, Spencer Johnson, Harry Nielsen (WK), Liam O’Connor, Liam Scott, Matthew Short, Jonathan Wells
Foreign Recruits: Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Phil Salt, George Garton (England)
Coaching Staff: Jason Gillespie
I am looking forward to Peter Siddle and Rashid Khan. It is the time of the year where Siddle’s energy flows through and Rashid Khan’s presence is enough to send fears to the opposition camp.
Adelaide Strikers Expected XI:
Phil Salt, 2. Jake Weatherald, 3. Travis Head/Alex Carey (C), 4. Matt Renshaw, 5. Ryan Gibson, 6. Jonathan Wells, 7. Michael Neser, 8. George Garton, 9. Rashid Khan, 10. Fawad Ahmed, 11. Peter Siddle
Predicted Result: 7th
Brisbane Heat
Captain: Jimmy Peirson (WK)
Australia Internationals: Marnus Labuschagne, Chris Lynn, Michael Neser, Mitchell Swepson, Sam Heazlett (1 ODI), Jack Wildermuth (1 T20I)
Australia Domestic: Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mark Steketee, Connor Sully, Matthew Willans, Liam Guthrie, Will Prestwisdge
Foreign Recruits: Tom Banton, Ben Duckett, Tom Abell (England), Tom Cooper (Netherlands), Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Coaching Staff: Wade Seccombe
I am looking forward to the foreign recruits. Ben Duckett was the find of The Hundred, and Mujeeb and Banton are match winners on their day.
Brisbane Heat Expected XI:
1. Chris Lynn, 2. Max Bryant/Labuschagne/Banton, 3. Ben Duckett, 4. Sam Heazlett, 5. Jack Wildurmuth, 6. Jimmy Pierson, 7. James Bazley/Michael Neser, 8. Xavier Bartlett, 9. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10. Matthew Kuhnemann, 11. Liam Guthrie/Mitchell Swepson
Predicted Result: 8th
Hobart Hurricanes
Captain: Matthew Wade (C/WK)
Australia Internationals: Scott Boland, Nathan Ellis, James Faulkner, Peter Handscomb, Ben McDermott (WK), Riley Meredith, D’arcy Short
Australia Domestic: Jake Doan (WK), Caleb Jewell, David Moody, Mitchell Owen, Wil Parker, Aaron Summers, Charlier Wakim, Nick Winter, Macalister Wright, Jordan Thompson
Foreign Recruits: Tim David (Singapore), Johan Botha (now domestic Australian player), Colin Ingram (South Africa), Dawid Malan, Will Jacks, Harry Brook (England), Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal), Keemo Paul (West Indies)
Coaching Staff: Adam Griffith
I am looking forward to World Cup star Matthew Wade. Finally rising to the international stage, can he take Hobart to their first BBL? Also watch out for Tim David from Singapore, who is making his name in T20 leagues around the world.
Hobart Hurricanes Expected XI:
1. Matthew Wade, 2. D’Arcy Short, 3. Colin Ingram/Dawid Malan, 4. Peter Handscomb, 5. Ben McDermott, 6. Tim David, 7. James Faulkner, 8. Scott Boland, 9. Nathan Ellis, 10. Riley Meredith, 11. Sandeep Lamichhane
Predicted Result: 1st/Winners
Melbourne Renegades
Captain: Nic Maddinson
Australia Internationals: Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, Marcus Harris, Cameron Boyce, James Pattinson (retired from international duty), Kane Richardson
Australia Domestic: Zak Evans, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Mackenzie Harvey, Josh Lalor, Jonathan Merlo, Jack Prestwidge, Will Sutherland, Mitch Perry
I am looking forward to James Pattinson, Shaun Marsh, and Mohammad Nabi. These three are at the end of their careers, and I hope they still have a couple of good years in them. Also curious if Melbourne will play Unmukt Chand or if it is only to lure future Indian cricketers.
Melbourne Renegades Expected XI:
1. Aaron Finch, 2. Shaun Marsh, 3. Nic Maddinson, 4. Jake Fraser-McGurk, 5. Mackenzie Harvey, 6. Mohammad Nabi, 7. Kane Richardson, 8. James Pattinson, 9. Reece Topley, 10. Zahir Khan, 11. Cameron Boyce
Predicted Result: 3rd
Melbourne Stars
Captain: Glenn Maxwell (C), Marcus Stoinis (VC)
Australia Internationals: Joe Burns, Hilton Cartwright, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa, Billy Stanlake, Will Pucovski, Peter Nevill (WK)
Australia Domestic: Jackson Coleman, Seb Gotch (WK), Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchliffe, Nick Larkin, Lance Morris, Tom O’Connell, Sam Rainbird, Beau Webster, Sam Elliot, Brody Couch
Foreign Recruits: Qais Ahmed (Afghanistan), Syed Faridoun (Pakistan), Joe Clarke (England)
Coaching Staff: David Hussey
I am looking forward to the Australian international regiment. Maxwell, Stoinis, Zampa won’t be missing much due to the Ashes and they are in red hot form. Hope they rebound from the first game.
Melbourne Stars Expected XI:
Marcus Stoinis, 2. Joe Clarke, 3. Joe Burns, 4. Nick Larkin, 5. Glenn Maxwell (C), 6. Hilton Cartwright, 7. Peter Neville (WK), 8. Nathan Coulter-Nile, 9. Syed Faridoun/Qais Ahmed, 10. Billy Stanlake, 11. Adam Zampa
Predicted Result: 6th
Perth Scorchers
Captain: Ashton Turner
Australia Internationals: Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft (WK), Jason Behrendorff, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Cameron Green, Kurtis Patterson (2 Tests), Joel Paris (2 ODIs)
Australia Domestic: Josh Inglis (WK), Peter Hatzoglou, Matthew Kelly, Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson
Foreign Recruits: Colin Munro (New Zealand), Laurie Evans (England), Cameron Gannon (USA international/Australia domestic)
Coaching Staff: Adam Voges
I am looking forward to Josh Inglis. Alex Carey barely pipped him to the Ashes spot but he will be there for Australia A game. Can he warm up with some BBL runs? You can never count Perth Scorchers out.
Perth Scorchers Expected XI:
1. Josh Inglis (WK), 2. Cameron Bancroft, 3. Mitchell Marsh, 4. Colin Munro,, 6. Ashton Agar, 7. Cameron Green, 8. Jhye Richardson/Jason Behrendorff, 9. Andrew Tye, 10. Joel Paris, 11. Kurtis Patterson
Predicted Result: 2nd
Sydney Sixers
Captain: Moises Henriques (C), Daniel Hughes (VC)
Australia Internationals: Dan Christian, Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Nathon Lyon, Steve O’Keefe, Josh Philippe (WK)
Australia Domestic: Jordan Silk, Ben Dwarshuis, Hayden Kerr, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Benjamin Manenti, Lloyd Pope
Foreign Recruits: Carlos Brathwaite (injured), Chris Jordan (West Indies), Tom Curran, James Vince (England)
Coaching Staff: Greg Shipperd
I am looking forward to James Vince and Tom Curran. Vince has the Big Bash to thank for his England return last year and both Curran-Vince needs good BBLs to make it the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Sydney Sixers Expected XI:
Josh Philippe (WK), 2. James Vince, 3. Moises Henriques (C), 4. Dan Christian, 5. Tom Curran, 6. Jordan Silk, 7. Daniel Hughes, 8. Sean Abbott, 9. Hayden Kerr, 10. Chris Jordan, 11. Steve O’Keefe
Predicted Result: 5th
Sydney Thunder
Captain: Usman Khawaja
Australia Internationals: Ben Cutting, Daniel Sams, Chris Tremain (4 ODIs)
Australia Domestic: Chris Green, Jason Sangha, Baxter Holt (WK), Oliver Davies, Brendan Doggett, Matthew Gilkes (WK), Arjun Nair, Alex Ross, Tanveer Sangha, Sam Whiteman, Gurinder Sandhu, Jonathon Cook
Foreign Recruits: Alex Hales, Sam Billings (WK), Saqib Mahmood (England) (Adam Milne – NZ)
Coaching Staff: Trevor Bayliss
I am looking forward to The English foreign brigade. Alex Hales at the top, Sam Billings to finish it off and Saqib Mahmood with the pace. Also much to prove for captain Usman Khawaja since Travis Head was picked as Australia’s #5 for the Ashes.
Sydney Thunder Expected XI:
1. Usman Khawaja (C), 2. Alex Hales, 3. Sam Whiteman, 4. Matthew Gilkes, 5. Sam Billings (WK), 6. Alex Ross, 7. Daniel Sams, 8. Ben Cutting, 9. Chris Green, 10. Gurinder Sandhu, 11. Tanveer Sangha
Predicted Result: 4th
Big Bash League 2021 (BBL 2021) Predictions
Finally here are my predictions.
My prediction for the team to lift the BBL 2021 trophy is….Hobart Hurricanes!
Broken Cricket Dream: Most Australian internationals miss BBL for the Ashes; most internationals lose out due to COVID; crowd skips the tournament altogether
Here were my Big Bash League – BBL 2021 Predictions. What did you think? What are YOUR predictions? Comment Below!
Since MS Dhoni’s men lifted the inaugural T20I World Cup trophy in 2007, the Indian cricket team has failed to reach those heights again in the T20 format.
Indian Premier League is cricket world’s most lucrative and competitive tournament, providing Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) the monopoly to dominate cricket politics. Its influence has reached such an extent that England is even proposing to host the remainder of the IPL by reducing the 5-Test series, but that is another story.
While IPL’s brand has hit the ceiling over the past decade, the quality of the Indian international T20I team has remained stagnant.
One of the main reasons is BCCI’s reluctance to let Indian cricketers play in foreign leagues—the Hundred, CPL, BBL, BPL, PSL, Abu Dhabi T10 among others.
1. The Argument – Out of Favor Players Need an Outlet
India is sending separate squads for the England Test tour and Sri Lanka limited-overs series, an insight into the future.
Separate squads for different formats mean more international spots for domestic players. Yet, fringe players have limited opportunities. Out-of-favor players should have multiple outlets to stake a claim or regain lost spots.
Players looking to break into the Indian Test squad usually grind it out in Ranji Trophy or county cricket, but what about limited overs specialists? How about domestic stalwarts without an IPL contract but can provide value overseas? Or consider Kuldeep Yadav’s case, who has been warming the bench for two seasons.
If you rest, you rust.
Rather than wait an entire year for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and IPL, these cricketers could sharpen their skills overseas. They would improve, become financially stable, and help BCCI learn more about them.
Win-win situation.
2. Retired Players
Yuvraj Singh had to retire from cricket altogether to qualify for a T10 tournament, while Harbhajan Singh and plenty of others were denied altogether in similar cases. Not a proper way to treat legends.
In 2007, Australia’s greatest era was coming to an end with retirements of Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Shane Warne, & Glenn McGrath.
Their acquisition highlighted the early days of the IPL. Hayden was CSK’s mainstay (remember the Mongoose Bat?), Warne inspired Rajasthan Royals’ inaugural win, and Gilchrist did the same with Deccan Chargers in 2009.
Watson exemplifies these points. His Player of the Series performance in IPL 2008 reignited his flailing international career. Post-retirement, Watson regained form in PSL 2019 (Player of the Series), held prior to IPL 2019, which helped CSK in their run to the final.
3. Learn From the West Indies
West Indies just announced a blockbuster summer ahead. 4 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 15 T20Is, right in time for the T20 World Cup. The likes of Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, and Dwayne Bravo have returned. Consider this squad for a second:
Chris Gayle, 2. Evil Lewis, 3. Nicholas Pooran, 4. Shimron Hetmyer, 5. Kieron Pollard, 6. Andre Russell, 7. Jason Holder, 8. Dwayne Bravo, 9. Oshane Thomas, 10. Sheldon Cottrell, 11. Hayden Walsh Jr.
With Lendl Simmons, Andre Fletcher, Fabian Allen, Fidel Edwards, Akeal Hosein, & Obed McCoy on the sidelines and Sunil Narine yet to make his international comeback, this team is ready to complete their World Cup hattrick.
Benchmarking helps.
4. Match Practice and Pressure Situations
What is the secret sauce of this Caribbean generation?
In between World Cups, players employ their trade around the various leagues, gain valuable match practice in all conditions, simulate pressure situations, and experience playing with or against world-class opposition.
One can argue that West Indians were born for T20 format, but the same cannot be said about England.
Before 2015, England were adamant against the IPL and T20 leagues, except for Kevin Pietersen. Post the 2015 ODI World Cup debacle, they changed their thinking. The result? Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, and Jofra Archer had stellar seasons, became better limited overs players as a result, and England won the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
Radical change. Rapid strides.
5. The Solution
While injuries and players undervaluing internationals for T20 obligations are genuine concerns, there is a solution—implement a maximum cap of 2-3 leagues per year. This will ensure clarity in communication and provide time to obtain No-objection certificates (NOC), which will help cricketers manage commitments without giving up international dreams.
It does not have to be an all-or-nothing, but frankly the conversation needs to start somewhere.
Safeguarding the IPL brand is hurting India internationally.
IPL helped catapult India to the 2011 Cricket World Cup, but others have caught up. It is time BCCI let their players develop internationally if they have any chance in future T20 World Cups.
