Why Gautam Gambhir forfeited his IPL salary in 2018
What's the story
Gautam Gambhir made an unusual decision during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 when he gave up his entire ₹2.8 crore salary while representing Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). The former India opener took responsibility for the franchise's disappointing campaign after a series of defeats and his own struggles with the bat. His decision to sacrifice his earnings reflected his personal accountability, pride and belief in putting the team's interests ahead of individual rewards.
#1
Delhi endured a disastrous start
Delhi struggled to find momentum during the opening stages of IPL 2018.
The franchise suffered five defeats in its first six matches, leaving its playoff ambitions in serious trouble.
Gambhir, who had returned to his home franchise as captain, was unable to inspire a turnaround. The team's poor results placed considerable responsibility on the experienced opener, who had been appointed to lead the campaign.
#2
Gambhir struggled with the bat and gave up captaincy
Gambhir's individual performances added to the team's problems. He managed just 85 runs across six appearances, with his only half-century coming in the opening match.
The left-hander acknowledged that he had not contributed enough and admitted that the pressure associated with captaincy had affected him.
He eventually decided to step down from the leadership role, announcing Shreyas Iyer as his successor.
Gambhir also explained that the decision was entirely his own and that the franchise had not pressured him to relinquish captaincy.
#3
A personal decision to accept responsibility
Gambhir's decision to surrender his ₹2.8 crore salary was closely connected to his disappointment with his own performances and the team's results.
He felt he had not delivered what Delhi had expected when signing him and believed accepting payment despite that failure was not right.
According to reports at the time, he wanted to play the remainder of the tournament without receiving any salary.
He remained available as a player even after giving up the captaincy.