Cricket is one of the most lucrative sports in the world, giving cricketers an opportunity to rake in money from their work on the field and even bigger pay cheques off the field.
Talking about the off-the-field aspect, the bank accounts of cricketers swell up exponentially through brand deals and endorsements, courtesy of the huge following cricketers enjoy.
Here’s how much the richest cricketers in the world earn.
Sachin Tendulkar net worth - USD 170 million
Former Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar is the richest cricketer in the world, with a reported net worth of USD 170 million (INR 1410 crore).
Nicknamed the “God of Cricket”, Tendulkar was the first ever cricketer to establish an INR 100 crore deal with a brand when he was appointed brand ambassador of MRF during the late 1990s.
In addition to MRF, Tendulkar has also signed various endorsement deals with some of the leading brands in the market such as Adidas, BMW, Pepsi Co, Paytm, Castrol etc.
MS Dhoni net worth - USD 113 million
Next on the list of the richest cricketer in the world is MS Dhoni, who is also the only captain to win all three ICC trophies during his tenure as skipper of the Indian national team.
The former captain has earned more than USD 100 million through a plethora of endorsements which includes brands like Cars24, Indian Terrain, RedBus, Colgate, Panerai, LivFast, Indigo Paints, GoDaddy, Bharat Matrimony, Mastercard, Dream11 and Gulf Oil India.
He is also among the very few cricketers who have a biopic to his name. MS Dhoni: The Untold Story was released in 2016, through which he received approximately INR 30 crores.
Virat Kohli net worth - USD 112 million
Another former Indian cricket team captain, who is also the only active player on the list of richest cricketer in the world, is Virat Kohli.
Kohli has established himself as one of the top athletes, both on and off the pitch, as he is the face of several leading brands such as Google, Audi, Manyavar, Hero moto corp, Puma, Colgate, Myntra, Himalaya etc.
Moreover, he also owns his fashion brands such as One8 and Wrogn, through which has amassed a huge fortune. Kohli’s total worth stands at around INR 925 crores.
Ricky Ponting net worth - USD 70 million
Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting too has amassed a great deal of wealth throughout his career and continues to do so in his post-retirement innings.
Ponting’s fantastic influence on the game of cricket has earned him various endorsement deals in the form of renowned brands like Adidas, Kookaburra Bats, Rexona and Pura Milk.
In May 2020, Ponting launched his own brand of wines called “Ponting Wines”, and named the first champagne of the same as 'Close Of Play'. He is worth around INR 578 crores.
Brian Lara net worth - USD 60 million
Former West Indies legend Brian Lara is not only one of the finest to ever grace the game but also one of the richest cricketers in the world.
In a career that spanned over 17 years, Lara was onboarded by various brands such as Usha International Brand, which endorses healthy and active living at the Delhi Golf Club.
He is also the brand ambassador of Bangladesh T20 League’s Chattogram Challengers.
Nowadays, he also plies his trade as an Indian T20 League commentator, where he roughly earns USD 600,000.
Richest cricketer in the world
| Cricketer | Net Worth (Estimated) |
| Sachin Tendulkar | $170 Million |
| MS Dhoni | $113 Million |
| Virat Kohli | $112 Million |
| Ricky Ponting | $70 Million |
| Jacques Kallis | $70 Million |
| Brian Lara | $60 Million |
| Shane Warne | $50 Million |
| Virender Sehwag | $40 Million |
| Yuvraj Singh | $35 Million |
| Shane Watson | $30 Million |
Featured Photo: Dibyangshu SARKAR / AFP
