‘In corporate life, that’s unthinkable’: Harsh Goenka cites Rishabh Pant’s IPL pay cut
Harsh Goenka said a player's earnings in the IPL can fluctuate dramatically due to market demand and franchise bidding.
Industrialist Harsh Goenka sparked a debate by comparing corporate salaries and player valuations in the Indian Premier League (IPL), using cricketer Rishabh Pant as an example.
In an X post, Goenka highlighted that a player’s earnings in the IPL can fluctuate dramatically due to market demand and franchise bidding, unlike compensation structures in corporate.
“Rishabh Pant: Rs 27 crore ➝ Rs 15 crore. Imagine a CEO being told, ‘Last year we paid you Rs 27 crore. This year, based on performance and market demand, we’re cutting it to Rs 15 crore.’ In corporate life, that’s unthinkable. In the IPL, it’s an auction that determines what you’re worth today,” Goenka wrote.
“Thank goodness, most of us work in corporate life,” he added.
See here:
Rishabh Pant: ₹27 crore ➝ ₹15 crore.
Imagine a CEO being told “Last year we paid you ₹27 crore. This year, based on performance and market demand, we’re cutting it to ₹15 crore.” In corporate life, that’s unthinkable.
In the IPL, it’s an auction that determines what you’re…
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) June 23, 2026
The post quickly gained momentum, as netizens weighed in.
“This is a loophole in the rules of IPL. A player is sold for 27 crores in the auction, how is it decided in the trade whether he will take 15 crores or 12 crores. This is a fraud with all the other teams. If 15 crores have to be given in the auction, then other teams are also ready to give 15 or 20 crores, but all this happening behind the scenes is not good for the transparency of IPL,” a user commented.
“People do switch companies at a lower paycut for better work life balance and avoid toxicity at workplace,” another user said.
“No hate for him he doesn’t deserve 15 crore too i don’t see any seriousness and dedication in any games,” another user wrote.
Pant, who spent several seasons with Delhi Capitals and also led the side as captain, was previously signed by Lucknow Super Giants for a record Rs 27 crore, making him one of the most expensive players in IPL history.
Ahead of the current season, however, the wicketkeeper-batter returned to Delhi Capitals on a deal worth Rs 15 crore. The new contract represents a reduction of Rs 12 crore from his previous IPL salary.
Industrialist Harsh Goenka sparked a debate by comparing corporate salaries and player valuations in the Indian Premier League (IPL), using cricketer Rishabh Pant as an example.
In an X post, Goenka highlighted that a player’s earnings in the IPL can fluctuate dramatically due to market demand and franchise bidding, unlike compensation structures in corporate.
“Rishabh Pant: Rs 27 crore ➝ Rs 15 crore. Imagine a CEO being told, ‘Last year we paid you Rs 27 crore. This year, based on performance and market demand, we’re cutting it to Rs 15 crore.’ In corporate life, that’s unthinkable. In the IPL, it’s an auction that determines what you’re worth today,” Goenka wrote.
“Thank goodness, most of us work in corporate life,” he added.
See here:
Rishabh Pant: ₹27 crore ➝ ₹15 crore.
Imagine a CEO being told “Last year we paid you ₹27 crore. This year, based on performance and market demand, we’re cutting it to ₹15 crore.” In corporate life, that’s unthinkable.
In the IPL, it’s an auction that determines what you’re…
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) June 23, 2026
The post quickly gained momentum, as netizens weighed in.
“This is a loophole in the rules of IPL. A player is sold for 27 crores in the auction, how is it decided in the trade whether he will take 15 crores or 12 crores. This is a fraud with all the other teams. If 15 crores have to be given in the auction, then other teams are also ready to give 15 or 20 crores, but all this happening behind the scenes is not good for the transparency of IPL,” a user commented.
“People do switch companies at a lower paycut for better work life balance and avoid toxicity at workplace,” another user said.
“No hate for him he doesn’t deserve 15 crore too i don’t see any seriousness and dedication in any games,” another user wrote.
Pant, who spent several seasons with Delhi Capitals and also led the side as captain, was previously signed by Lucknow Super Giants for a record Rs 27 crore, making him one of the most expensive players in IPL history.
Ahead of the current season, however, the wicketkeeper-batter returned to Delhi Capitals on a deal worth Rs 15 crore. The new contract represents a reduction of Rs 12 crore from his previous IPL salary.
