Kartik Sharma went from sleeping in night shelters to signing the most expensive uncapped player deal in IPL history — all before turning 20.
As of 2026, Kartik Sharma’s net worth is estimated at ₹10 crore, built almost entirely on his ₹14.20 crore contract with Chennai Super Kings at the IPL 2026 auction.
In this article, you will find his verified salary, career earnings, endorsement deals, domestic cricket stats, and the full story behind one of Indian cricket’s most exciting young talents.
Kartik Sharma’s Biography
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kartik Sharma |
| Date of Birth | April 26, 2006 |
| Age | 20 years old |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Birthplace | Bahnera village, Bharatpur, Rajasthan |
| Playing Role | Right-handed Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Current IPL Team | Chennai Super Kings (IPL 2026) |
| Domestic Team | Rajasthan |
| Turned Professional | 2024 (Ranji Trophy debut) |
| Estimated Net Worth | ₹10 crore (approx.) |
| IPL Contract Value | ₹14.20 crore (CSK, IPL 2026) |
| Endorsement | JSW Sports (signed November 2025) |
| Relationship Status | Not publicly known |
Early Life & Career
Kartik Sharma grew up in Bahnera village in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, in a household where cricket was a dream that cost the family almost everything.
His father, Manoj Sharma, was an aspiring medium-pace bowler whose playing career was cut short by injury. Rather than letting go of the sport, Manoj redirected every bit of that passion toward his son.
From the age of five, Kartik trained with a plastic bat, hitting hundreds of balls a day while cycling up to 15 kilometres each morning just to get to his practice ground.
Kartik’s early training was guided by Shatrughan Tiwari, the Secretary of the Bharatpur District Cricket Association.
As he outgrew the facilities available in his hometown, the family made the difficult decision to move him to Agra, where better coaching infrastructure was available.
The Chahar family in Agra played a key role in keeping his spirit up during a gruelling four-year stretch where he trained relentlessly but could not break into the Rajasthan senior squad.
Those years tested both Kartik and his family financially. His mother, Radha Sharma, sold her gold jewellery — including her mangalsutra and bangles — to pay for cricket kits, coaching fees, and tournament travel.
There were nights on domestic tours when Kartik and his father had no money for a hotel room and slept in a night shelter.
Despite this hardship, he kept progressing through youth cricket, scoring 181 runs off just 104 balls in the Cooch Behar Trophy and accumulating over 500 runs in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy.
He captained Rajasthan at both the under-14 and under-16 levels, marking him out early as a leader with natural talent.
Professional Career
Kartik Sharma made his first-class debut in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy for Rajasthan against Uttarakhand, where he scored 113 runs off 115 balls — a century on debut that immediately announced his arrival at the senior domestic level. He did not stop there.
In the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, he followed it up with centuries against both Mumbai and Delhi, scoring 120 runs off 154 balls against Delhi batting at number eight in a match that further cemented his reputation as a big-game performer.
In the 50-over format, Kartik emerged as Rajasthan’s most dangerous batter in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
He made his debut in the competition with an explosive 123 off 90 balls against Maharashtra and finished as the state’s leading run-getter, topping the six-hitting charts across the entire tournament.
His numbers in List A cricket — an average of 55.62 and a strike rate of 118.03 across nine matches — made him one of the standout domestic performers that season.
His T20 record was even more eye-catching. Across the 2024-25 and 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaigns, Kartik hit at a strike rate above 160, smashing 28 sixes in a single season to lead all batters in the competition.
These performances caught the attention of cricket analysts and former players alike, with Kevin Pietersen and R Ashwin both publicly praising his power-hitting ability.
When the IPL 2026 auction took place in Abu Dhabi on December 15, 2025, multiple franchises entered a bidding war for him.
Mumbai Indians opened the bidding at the base price of ₹30 lakh, but KKR, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad all pushed the price well past ₹5 crore before Chennai Super Kings eventually won him for ₹14.20 crore — making him the joint-most expensive uncapped player in IPL history alongside Prashant Veer.
Kartik Sharma Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Kartik Sharma has an estimated net worth of ₹10 crore.
He built this wealth almost entirely through his historic ₹14.20 crore IPL contract with Chennai Super Kings — his first-ever IPL deal — along with domestic cricket earnings and a growing corporate endorsement portfolio.
Contract
Kartik Sharma’s ₹14.20 crore contract with Chennai Super Kings from the IPL 2026 auction is the cornerstone of his current financial standing.
He entered the auction at a base price of ₹30 lakh. CSK beat out fierce competition from Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad to secure him, spending ₹28.40 crore in total on both Kartik and Prashant Veer.
This deal made Kartik one of the third and fourth most expensive buys in the entire IPL 2026 season.
On the domestic side, Kartik holds a senior player contract with the Rajasthan Cricket Association, which includes match fees and a retainer for representing the state across all three formats.
Salary
Kartik Sharma’s primary income source is his IPL retainer of ₹14.20 crore from CSK, which is paid out over the duration of the IPL season.
Before his IPL deal, his income came exclusively from BCCI domestic match fees — approximately ₹35,000 per match day in the Ranji Trophy and similar per-match fees for the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali tournaments.
His domestic cricket earnings across the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons are estimated to be in the range of ₹25–40 lakh based on the number of matches he played for Rajasthan.
After taxes, his actual take-home from the CSK contract is lower than the headline figure, but his total accumulated earnings still place his 2026 net worth at approximately ₹10 crore.
Career Earnings by Year
| Season | Format | Key Achievement | Estimated Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Domestic (State) | U-16 & early senior appearances | ₹10–15 lakh (approx.) |
| 2024-25 | Ranji, VHT, SMAT | Ranji debut century; VHT leading scorer | ₹25–35 lakh (approx.) |
| 2025-26 | Ranji, SMAT, IPL 2026 | IPL deal ₹14.20 crore; multiple Ranji centuries | ₹14.20 crore+ |
Endorsements & Sponsorships
JSW Sports, the sports management arm of the JSW Group, signed Kartik Sharma as a client in November 2025 — just weeks before his blockbuster IPL auction.
Divyanshu Singh, CEO of JSW Sports, noted that “Kartik is an exciting young prospect who has shown maturity beyond his years”.
The financial terms of the JSW Sports deal have not been publicly disclosed. Given JSW Sports’ track record of managing rising Indian athletes, the deal likely includes representation fees, brand tie-ups, and appearance support that will grow significantly as his IPL profile rises.
Career Statistics
First-Class
| Season | Opponent | Runs | Balls | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Uttarakhand (Debut) | 113 | 115 | — | ~98 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | Mumbai | Century | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | Delhi | 120 | 154 | — | ~77 | 1 | 0 |
List A (Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25)
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 445 | 55.62 | 118.03 | 2 | 2 |
T20 (Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy)
| Season | Innings | Runs | Strike Rate | Best | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 11–12 | 334 | 163.00 | 60+ | 28 |
| 2025-26 | 5 | 133 | 160.24 | 46 (31b) | — |
FAQs
What is Kartik Sharma’s net worth?
Kartik Sharma’s estimated net worth is approximately ₹10 crore. His ₹14.20 crore IPL contract with Chennai Super Kings is his primary earning, alongside domestic cricket fees and a JSW Sports endorsement deal.
How much did CSK pay for Kartik Sharma at the IPL 2026 auction?
Chennai Super Kings paid ₹14.20 crore for Kartik Sharma at the IPL 2026 auction held on December 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi. This makes him the joint-most expensive uncapped player in IPL history alongside Prashant Veer.
Who is Kartik Sharma’s father?
His father’s name is Manoj Sharma, a former aspiring medium-pace bowler who quit his job to train Kartik full-time. Manoj sold his land and took loans to fund Kartik’s cricket career, and Kartik publicly stated that repaying his father’s debts is his first financial priority.
Which team does Kartik Sharma play for in IPL 2026?
Kartik Sharma plays for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026. CSK signed him for ₹14.20 crore after a bidding war that involved KKR, Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mumbai Indians.
What is Kartik Sharma’s age and playing role?
Kartik Sharma turned 20 in April 2026. He plays as a right-handed wicketkeeper-batter and is known for his aggressive power-hitting and ability to score at high strike rates in all three formats.
