The 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) came to a close on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) winning their second consecutive title with a five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final.

However, one of the big talking points after the end of the season is how the most expensive players in the tournament, such as Rishabh Pant, Cameron Green and Shreyas Iyer, performed for their teams.

In this article, we will take a look at the top five most expensive players in IPL 2026 and how they fared with their performances.

Virat Kohli (RCB; Rs 21 crore)

The fifth-most expensive player of the season was star Indian batter Virat Kohli, with his Rs 21 crore salary for RCB. Out of the top five on this list, Kohli enjoyed the most successful season.

Kohli featured in all 16 of RCB’s matches in IPL 2026 and amassed a brilliant 675 runs, including his match-winning knock of 75 not out against GT in the final. He scored five half-centuries and one century and maintained an average of 56.25.

Kohli ended as the fourth-highest run-scorer of the season. However, the impact of Kohli’s form for RCB can be understood from the fact that in the nine matches in which he remained not out after the powerplay, RCB won all nine, including the final.

Heinrich Klaasen (SRH; Rs 23 crore)

South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen was the fourth-most expensive player of the season with his Rs 23 crore salary for SRH. Klaasen was one of the most consistent players in IPL 2026 as he scored 624 runs in 15 matches at an average of 48. He scored six half-centuries and was one of the reasons why SRH secured their second playoff finish in the last three years.

Cameron Green (KKR; Rs 25.20 crore)

Australian all-rounder Cameron Green was the third-most expensive player in IPL 2026 with his Rs 25.20 crore salary for KKR. Green started the season slowly as he was unable to score runs and was not bowling.

However, as the tournament progressed, Green started to pick up momentum and, while KKR failed to reach the playoffs, he finished the season with decent overall numbers.

Green played 14 matches this season and scored 322 runs with the help of two half-centuries. He also delivered with the ball and, in the nine innings he bowled, took seven wickets. Although the numbers are not inspiring, they should help him escape the flop tag.

Shreyas Iyer (PBKS; Rs 26.75 crore)

The second-most expensive player in IPL history, Shreyas Iyer, with his Rs 26.75 crore salary for PBKS, started IPL 2026 on a high note, scoring big runs and helping PBKS remain undefeated in their first seven matches. However, in the second half of the season, his form dipped and so did the fortunes of PBKS.

In their last seven matches, PBKS could win only one game and finished fifth in the points table. Iyer, although, enjoyed a decent season, amassing 498 runs in 14 matches, which also included his maiden IPL century of 101 not out against LSG in their final league game.

Rishabh Pant (LSG; Rs 27 crore)

The most expensive player in IPL history, Rishabh Pant, endured another difficult season with LSG after the franchise spent Rs 27 crore on him at the IPL 2025 player auction. He could lead his team to only four wins in 14 matches and ended up finishing at the bottom of the points table.

As a player, the season was also not encouraging, as he could only amass 312 runs. Following two disappointing seasons, Pant decided to step down from the role of LSG skipper last week, and his future with the franchise now hangs in the balance amid speculation.