Cricket has quietly become one of sport’s biggest money machines, and the numbers around its top earners prove it. Sachin Tendulkar spent 24 years building a fortune most business leaders would envy. MS Dhoni turned World Cup glory into agriculture and aerospace investments.
Virat Kohli runs fashion and fitness labels that pull in almost as much attention as his batting average. Here’s a full look at the richest cricketers in the world right now, how each of them built that wealth, the honourable mentions just behind them, and the women reshaping earnings in the sport.
Top 10 Richest Cricketers in the World Right Now
Seven of the ten richest cricketers on this list are Indian, a fact that says more about the IPL’s financial scale than about talent elsewhere in the sport.
| Cricketer | Country | Estimated Net Worth (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | $170 Million (approx. ₹1,450 Crore) |
| MS Dhoni | India | $125 Million (approx. ₹1,070 Crore) |
| Virat Kohli | India | $120 Million (approx. ₹1,025 Crore) |
| Ricky Ponting | Australia | $75 Million (approx. ₹640 Crore) |
| Brian Lara | West Indies | $60 Million (approx. ₹510 Crore) |
| Jacques Kallis | South Africa | $48 Million (approx. ₹410 Crore) |
| Shane Warne | Australia | $45 Million (approx. ₹385 Crore) |
| Virender Sehwag | India | $42 Million (approx. ₹360 Crore) |
| Yuvraj Singh | India | $38 Million (approx. ₹325 Crore) |
| Rohit Sharma | India | $35 Million (approx. ₹300 Crore) |
1. Sachin Tendulkar
Tendulkar earned the nickname the God of Cricket for a reason. He scored more than 34,000 international runs across a 24 year career and became the first player in history to reach 100 international centuries.
That kind of longevity built more than a batting legacy. It gave him one of the most trusted faces in Indian advertising, and even after retiring in 2013, brands still line up for his endorsement.
- Endorsement deals: BMW India, Adidas, Pepsi, Unacademy
- Business ventures: True Blue menswear, SRT Sports Management, Kerala Blasters FC, stakes in Spinny and JetSynthesys
- Lifestyle assets: Bandra mansion, London apartment, Ferrari 360, Porsche Cayenne
- Charity work: Sachin Tendulkar Foundation, supporting health and education for underprivileged children
2. MS Dhoni
Dhoni led India to three global titles, the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. Few captains have matched his calm under pressure or his instinct for finishing games late.
His post captaincy life looks nothing like a typical retired cricketer’s. Dhoni has spread his money across drones, football and farming, and he still keeps wicket for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
- Endorsement deals: Pepsi, Dream11, Sony Bravia, Mastercard
- Business ventures: SEVEN sportswear, Chennaiyin FC, Garuda Aerospace, Cars24
- Lifestyle assets: Ranchi farmhouse, homes in Mumbai and Dubai, Kawasaki Ninja H2
- Charity work: Oxygen concentrator donations during the pandemic, rural development projects in Jharkhand
3. Virat Kohli
Kohli redefined what fitness and intensity look like in modern batting. He holds the record for the fastest player to reach 8,000, 9,000 and 10,000 ODI runs, numbers that took most greats years longer to reach.
His commercial appeal has grown alongside those numbers. Kohli’s fashion and fitness brands now reach well beyond cricket fans, and his social media following ranks among the largest of any athlete worldwide.
- Endorsement deals: Puma, Audi India, MRF, Myntra
- Business ventures: One8 clothing line, WROGN fashion, Chisel Fitness, stake in FC Goa
- Lifestyle assets: properties in Gurugram and Mumbai, Audi R8, Bentley Continental
- Charity work: Virat Kohli Foundation, supporting young athletes
4. Ricky Ponting
Ponting captained Australia through its most dominant era, winning back to back World Cups in 2003 and 2007. His aggressive strokeplay and sharp tactical mind made him one of the format’s most feared batters.
Retirement barely slowed him down. Ponting moved straight into coaching and commentary, and he’s stayed close to the IPL circuit ever since, picking up consulting roles alongside his media work.
- Endorsement deals: Adidas, Kookaburra, Rexona
- Business ventures: Ponting Wines, IPL coaching contracts, real estate
- Lifestyle assets: Melbourne mansion, Tasmanian vineyard, luxury car collection
- Charity work: Youth cricket development programs
5. Brian Lara
Lara still holds cricket’s most famous individual record, an unbeaten 400 in Test cricket, alongside the first class record of 501 not out. Both scores have stood for over two decades.
He carried West Indies cricket through a genuinely difficult period almost single handedly. That legacy still pays off today through media appearances, brand deals and property investments back in Trinidad.
- Endorsement deals: MRF, Angostura, Stanmore
- Business ventures: golf course projects, real estate in Trinidad
- Lifestyle assets: homes in Trinidad and Australia, luxury vehicles
- Charity work: Pearl and Bunty Lara Foundation, supporting Caribbean youth
6. Jacques Kallis
Many judges of the game rate Kallis among the greatest all rounders cricket has ever produced. He scored over 25,000 international runs and took more than 500 wickets, a combination almost no one else has matched.
South Africa built its batting order around him for nearly two decades. Since retiring, Kallis has stayed close to the game through coaching roles and cricket consultancy work.
- Endorsement deals: Gray Nicolls, Adidas, banking brands
- Business ventures: coaching academies, real estate
- Lifestyle assets: properties in Cape Town and Johannesburg, luxury cars
- Charity work: Jacques Kallis Foundation, focused on youth cricket
7. Shane Warne
Warne changed how the world saw leg spin bowling. He finished with 708 Test wickets and delivered the Ball of the Century to Mike Gatting, still cricket’s most replayed delivery.
His estate has continued earning since his death in 2022, largely through media rights and business interests built over a broadcasting and commentary career that ran alongside his playing days.
- Endorsement deals: Nike, Advanced Hair Studio, media appearances
- Business ventures: poker tournaments, real estate in Melbourne and London
- Lifestyle assets: luxury homes, vehicle collection, entertainment venues
- Charity work: Shane Warne Foundation, supporting underprivileged children
8. Virender Sehwag
Sehwag attacked Test bowling like nobody before him, scoring two triple centuries and forcing bowlers to defend from the very first over. His strike rate as an opener remains unmatched by most who came after him.
He’s stayed visible since retiring, mostly through commentary and his own school. Sehwag’s brand deals lean toward everyday consumer names rather than luxury labels, which suits his down to earth public image.
- Endorsement deals: Hero MotoCorp, Samsung, bat manufacturers
- Business ventures: Sehwag International School, real estate
- Lifestyle assets: properties in Delhi, luxury cars
- Charity work: Sehwag Foundation, supporting sports and education
9. Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj hit six sixes in a single over against England at the 2007 T20 World Cup, a moment that still gets replayed every tournament. He followed it up with a central role in India’s 2011 World Cup win.
His comeback from cancer added a different kind of legacy. Yuvraj now spends much of his time on his foundation and on startup investments rather than chasing endorsement deals.
- Endorsement deals: Puma, Pepsi, healthcare brands
- Business ventures: YouWeCan Foundation, cricket academy
- Lifestyle assets: properties in Chandigarh and Mumbai, luxury cars
- Charity work: YouWeCan Foundation, focused on cancer awareness
10. Rohit Sharma
Rohit holds the record for three ODI double centuries, a feat no other batter has managed even once. His captaincy has added a calmer, more measured edge to India’s white ball cricket.
Franchise cricket has been central to his earnings for over a decade. Rohit’s long partnership with Mumbai Indians, paired with steady endorsement deals, keeps him among the sport’s most valuable commercial names.
- Endorsement deals: Adidas, CEAT, Oppo
- Business ventures: cricket academy, real estate
- Lifestyle assets: Worli apartment, Audi and BMW vehicles
- Charity work: Rohit Sharma Foundation, supporting education and sports
Honourable Mentions Just Outside the Top 10
A few more names sit close behind the top 10 in extended wealth rankings, based on figures reported by The Enterprise World.
- Sourav Ganguly ($85 Million, India). The former India captain built his post playing wealth through IPL team ownership, banking endorsements and media ventures, and some reports place him high enough to challenge Ponting and Lara for a top 10 spot.
- Chris Gayle ($45 Million, West Indies). Gayle made almost all of his fortune through T20 franchise cricket rather than international matches, a genuinely different path from most names on this list.
- Shane Watson ($40 Million, Australia). Watson’s all round skills translated into long IPL and Big Bash careers that outlasted his international run by years.
- AB de Villiers ($35 Million, South Africa). Known as Mr 360 for his ability to score anywhere around the ground, de Villiers turned that reputation into cricket academy and real estate investments.
- Steve Smith ($30 Million, Australia). Smith’s unconventional technique built a Test average above 60, and his money now spreads across a sports management firm and wearable tech investments.
Richest Women Cricketers in the World
The gap between men’s and women’s cricket earnings is still wide, but the top women players have built genuinely diversified income of their own.
| Player | Country | Estimated Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| Ellyse Perry | Australia | $14.4 Million |
| Meg Lanning | Australia | $9.1 Million |
| Mithali Raj | India | $5.2 Million |
| Smriti Mandhana | India | $4 Million |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | India | $3 Million |
Perry tops the list through a mix of Cricket Australia contracts, WBBL and WPL franchise deals, and endorsements with Adidas and Commonwealth Bank. Lanning’s wealth comes from years of Australian captaincy plus a long running Nike partnership that has held up even after her international retirement.
Mithali Raj added royalties from her 2022 biopic to two decades of BCCI contracts, while Smriti Mandhana became the most expensive player in the inaugural WPL auction. Harmanpreet Kaur rounds out the list through BCCI contracts, WPL earnings and deals with Boost and CEAT.
The IPL Explains Most of This List, Not Talent Gaps
Cricket’s wealthiest names cluster around India for one clear reason, the size of the IPL’s broadcast and sponsorship economy dwarfs every other domestic league in the sport.
That doesn’t make Tendulkar, Dhoni or Kohli any less deserving of the top spots, but it does explain why players like Lara or Kallis, despite comparable playing legacies, sit lower on the money table.
The gap between men’s and women’s earnings remains real too, though the WPL’s early numbers suggest that gap is starting to close.
