Cricket has received widespread popularity and fame in every corner of the world over the past few decades. ICC is trying to make it into a global sport. Recently, teams from Thailand and Japan took part in major ICC competitions to make their presence known. Sponsors, widespread reach, and the prize pool increased with it. Cricketers worldwide earn enormous money through various cricket and non-cricket-related contracts and deals. The ten highest-paid cricketers by Forbes are listed below.
1. Sachin Tendulkar
'The god of cricket' is indeed a god in terms of wealth among cricketers too. He is one of the highest-earning Indian cricketers globally, with a net worth of Rs 870 crores, or $115 million. Even though he is retired from international cricket, he still makes a humongous amount of money from various brand endorsements and sponsorship contracts.
2. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hailing from Ranchi is known for his calm personality and is one of the most popular cricketers globally. The only captain to win the T20 world cup and the ODI world cup, MS Dhoni is the second wealthiest cricket player globally with Rs 840 crores, or $111 million.
3. Virat Kohli
Indian captain and best batsman Virat Kohli is without a doubt the most popular cricket player of our generation. Virat Kohli is the third wealthiest cricketer globally, and with a net worth of Rs 638 million, he also runs his fashion brand Wrogn and One8 (in partnership with Puma). Virat Kohli is the only cricket player on Forbes' list of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
4. Ricky Ponting
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is considered one of the most successful captains. He has led the team in 324 international matches, out of which he has won 220 games. Ponting has won many Cricket Awards of the 2000s. His total net worth is nearly $65 million, which equals 503 Crore rupees, and he is the fourth wealthiest cricket player in the world.
5. Brian Lara
Brian Lara, the only batsman in the world to hit 400 runs during a test cricket inning, this Former West Indies skipper, regarded as one of the greatest batsmen, also known as Prince Brian Lara, has a total net worth of $60 million, or 454 Crore rupees making him the fifth wealthiest cricketer in the world.
6. Shane Warne
This former captain of the Australian cricket team, the Australian Spin Wizard Shane Warne best known for his "Ball of the Century," has a net worth of $ 394 million, making him the sixth person on the list of the wealthiest cricket players in the world.
7. Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag, best known for his explosive batting, is regarded as one of the most destructive batsmen of all time. He is one of the four batsmen in the entire world to have surpassed 300 twice in test cricket. He endorses renowned brands like Adidas, Samsung, Boost, etc., making him the seventh richest cricketer around the globe with a net worth of 330 crore rupees. He is currently a cricket commentator in India.
8. Jacques Kallis
Jacques Kallis is a world-famous South African all-rounder and the only cricket player to score over 10,000 runs and take 250 wickets in both ODI and test. He is currently a batting coach for South Africa and also the former batting consultant of the IPL team KKR. Jacques Kallis is the 8th richest cricketer globally, with a net worth of about 265 Crore rupees.
9. Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj is one of the best all-rounder players in India. Known for his stroke play and fielding abilities, the powerful hitter of the 2011 world cup has led to the team's victory in the road safety world series. Yuvraj started his fashion clothing label YWC to help cancer patients. His net worth is 265 Crore in Indian rupees, making him rank 9th on the list of the richest cricketers.
10. Shane Watson
Former Australian Skipper Shane Watson regarded as one of the greatest cricket players of our time, is also one of the best all-rounders of all time the world has witnessed. A prevalent and incredible national career has established him in international cricket. Shane Watson, who scored 100 for CSK in the IPL 2018 final and played a match-winning knock, has a net worth of 30 million US dollars.
