Cricket is a wonderful sport with a huge fanbase. People watch cricket matches with enthusiasm and zeal. In addition to being one of the favourite sports, it is among the world’s wealthiest sports. Cricket is not just a sport but a sensation that sweeps countries and attracts huge viewership and followers. The game’s commercial side has burgeoned, making cricket players among the highest-earning sportspersons worldwide.
This write-up will dig deeper into the cricket world, explore more about the richest cricketers, and discover who tops the list. So, let’s look at the list of the ‘richest cricketers in the world’.
Richest Cricketers in the World: List of Top 30 Players
Cricket is known as the gentleman’s game and has greatly evolved beyond the sports field. It has become a lucrative avenue for several skilled players, transforming them into role models. So, witness which players have been on the ‘richest cricket player in the world’ list so far:
1. Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar is the godfather of Indian cricket and has been the highest run scorer in One Day Internationals and Test matches. Popularly called the God of Indian Cricket, Tendulkar began his career at eleven with a test match against Pakistan. He has made India proud with his extraordinary skills. He also holds the record for winning the ‘Player of the Match’ award the maximum number of times globally.
Furthermore, he received the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India, for his contributions to Indian cricket, which added more feathers to his cap. After his retirement, his investments and associations with other ventures ensured his top place on the list. His net worth is around Rs.1250 crore.
2. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
The former captain of the Indian cricket team is popular for his cool attitude and sharp cricketing brilliance. Many people know as baap of ipl teams. He has accumulated substantial wealth throughout his glorious career. His association with many top brands and ownership of multiple sports franchises intensified his brand value. MS Dhoni is one of India’s most loved and favourite cricket personalities after the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. He is known to be the coolest captain in the history of Indian cricket. He is fondly called ‘Captain Cool’ and is the player behind India’s victory in the 2011 edition of the World Cup. His net worth is Rs.1040 crores, making him one of the richest cricketer in the world.
3. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is often considered among the contemporary greats of the game and boasts of an illustrious record both on and off the sports field. He is also know a king of IPL league. His fierce batting skills are well-known. He is popular for holding the record for the quickest century in One Day International matches. Besides his success in ODIs, he also holds the record for scoring the most runs in T20 matches. India has won many trophies under his leadership in recent years, and he is considered one of the most successful captains of the Indian cricket team. With multiple brand endorsements, Indian Premier League contracts, and other ventures, Virat Kohli has established himself as one of the ‘richest cricketer players in the world’ very soon in his career. His net worth is Rs.1020 crores.
4. Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly is a well-known figure in the cricketing world and needs no introduction. He scored over 20,000 runs in international cricket and established himself as the best batter and captain. Besides his phenomenal batting skills, he contributed hugely with the ball in hand. Sourav Ganguly was also India’s 39th president of the Board of Cricket Council. With numerous brand endorsements, television stints, investments, and other ventures, his net worth is Rs.634 crores. After his retirement, he hosted Dadagiri, which is a Bengali reality show, and the Bengali adaptation of the renowned show Kaun Banega Crorepati. He earned big and included himself in the list of the richest cricketer in the world.
5. Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting, one of the richest cricketers in the world, is renowned for his aggressive captaincy style. Australia’s cricket team emerged victorious in three World Cups. His exceptional prominence earned him several sponsorship projects from international brands, including Adidas and Rexona. He scored over 27000 runs in international cricket with 71 centuries. He led his team to 220 victories in 324 matches as a captain. His abstract batting expertise made him a two-time World Cup-winning captain. His net worth is Rs.480 crores from multiple brand endorsements and other ventures.
6. Shane Warne
Shane Warne is one of the highest wicket-takers in the history of cricket. He took over 700 wickets in Tests, One Day Internationals, and the Indian Premier League. In 1994, he was rated the highest-ranked bowler. His wrist-spinning skill was unmatchable. As the captain of the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals, he led his IPL team to victory. His brand endorsements with Pepsi, McDonald’s, IPL contracts, coaching roles, commentaries, and entrepreneurship ventures earned him a net worth of Rs.409 crores. Shane Warne bid farewell to test cricket in 2007 but actively participated in the Indian Premier and Big Bash Leagues until 2013. He also took up various coaching roles in England and acquired a substantial stake in Rajasthan Royals.
7. Chris Gayle
Chris Gale is highly popular as the Universal Boss, and apart from being a sensation on the cricket field, he is also a sensation in earnings. His association with various leagues worldwide added to his significant net worth, making him one of the richest cricketers in the world. Ever since entering the cricket world in 1999, he quickly gained his place on the national cricket team. He represented the West Indies Cricket Team, played a significant role, and contributed greatly to the team’s success, exceeding thousands of runs and receiving several trophies. His extraordinary hitting prowess makes him the greatest T20 batter. He is a prominent figure in IPL, and his net worth is approximately Rs.375 crores.
8. Virender Sehwag
One of the best openers in Indian cricket, Virendra Sehwag’s net worth is approximately Rs.332 crores. He is famous for his fearless way of dominating the bowlers from the beginning, and his innings have become highly popular in cricket. With several brand collaborations and sponsorships, such as Samsung Mobiles, Reebok, Adidas, and others, his business venture fetched him a place as one of the richest cricketers in the world.
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9. Pat Cummins
Australian cricket player Pat Cummins is one of the greatest bowlers in test matches. Although he is an active player in all three formats- Tests, ODIs, and T20s, his bowling skills in test matches earned him immense popularity. In addition to bowling well, he contributes with the bat when required. Pat Cummins has earned substantial wealth from his glorious cricket career, with a net worth of Rs.320 crores. His multiple brand endorsement projects earned him a place as one of the wealthiest cricket players.
10. Adam Gilchrist
Adam Gilchrist is the greatest wicket-keeper batter in the history of Australian cricket. He was popular for aggressive batting as an opening batsman in limited-overs cricket. He debuted for Australia in One Day Internationals. Adam Gilchrist was popularly called Gilly and was a part of the winning Australian squad in 1999, 2003, and 2007. He scored 15461 runs with 3 centuries across three formats. Even though in 2008, he retired from international cricket, his success fetched him multiple contracts from IPL franchises. He also won the IPL tournament for the Deccan Chargers. His contributions to Australian Cricket as an opening batter and wicket-keeper are memorable. His net worth is around Rs.316 crores.
11. Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh is renowned for the six sixes he scored in an over and his vital roles during the 2007 edition of the T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. The Indian all-rounder has a net worth of Rs.266 crores. His cricketing career, fight against cancer, and comeback make the all-rounder one of the motivational figures in the history of cricket.
12. Shane Watson
Shane Watson, a former all-rounder from Australia, gained prominence after playing a vital role in Australia’s success in the 2007 edition of the World Cup and the IPL success of Rajasthan Royals in 2008. He is a right-handed batter who swiftly became among the richest cricket players for endorsing brands. Shane Watson has a net worth of three crores in Indian rupees and became famous in IPL. He won the IPL trophy with Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings.
13. Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar is famous for his remarkable contributions to the Indian cricket team. He has also made a substantial impact as a commentator. The cricket legend served on the commentary panel for numerous matches. His net worth is around Rs.250 crores. Apart from his lucrative career in cricket, his other ventures like commentary projects, brand endorsements, and his contributions to media outlets and newspapers, where he curated multiple articles, contributed to his overall wealth and made him one of the richest cricketers in the world.
14. Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev is one of the most beloved personalities in cricket. He is celebrated for his extraordinary leadership and has been one of the most successful captains of the Indian cricket team. India won its first-ever World Cup Championship under his leadership in 1983. His success wasn’t restricted to being a captain. He was an extraordinary all-rounder. Kapil Dev’s followers and fans lovingly call him Haryana Hurricane. His business ventures in multiple fields, commentary projects, glorious career, public appearances, association with sports academies, etc., fetched him a net worth of approximately Rs.220 crores.
15. Rohit Sharma
The Indian cricket team’s present captain, Rohit Sharma, is also on the list of the richest cricket players in the world. His tremendous batting talent and glorious rack record earned him a special place in the hearts of cricket lovers. Rohit Sharms’s capability to smoothly transition between the various formats of the game and his phenomenal record of setting and breaking records earned him great prominence. With multiple brand endorsements and income from IPL franchise Mumbai Indians, his net worth is approximately Rs.214 crores.
16. Suresh Raina
A former player of the Indian cricket team, he has a phenomenal record of scoring centuries in each format of international cricket. After retiring from national and international cricket, Suresh Raina has progressed to participating in different cricket leagues worldwide, from the Abu Dhabi T10 League to the SA 20 League, the T20 league of South Africa. His association with different companies for promotional activities, glorious cricket career, brand endorsements, and the role of a commentator and analyst for the IPL fetched him a net worth of around Rs.200 crores.
17. Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan was a former fast bowler for India’s national cricket team from 2000 to 2014. His remarkable bowling prowess earned him huge prominence. Zaheer Khan’s net worth and yearly income are approximately Rs. 205 crore and Rs. 6 crore, respectively. Post-retirement, he actively participates in commentary projects for matches, brand endorsements, and business ventures.
18. Rahul Dravid
Indian cricket team’s former captain and present coach is affectionately popular by several nicknames. His net worth is estimated to be around Rs. 191 crores. His great financial standing is from his role as the senior men’s team coach across all formats, brand endorsements, and business ventures. Rahul Dravid’s journey into the cricket team was gradual, but he strengthened his position with his exceptional gaming skills.
19. AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers, a renowned cricketer from South Africa, is famous for his destructive batting skills. He had a glorious career in the international cricket circuit. ABD had been a key player in the IPL, representing teams like Delhi Daredevils (now named Delhi Capitals) and Royal Challengers Bangalore, before retiring at the end of the 2021 edition of the IPL. His exceptional performance fetched him the Player of the Year Award thrice. AB de Villiers’ net worth is estimated to be approximately Rs.173 crores due to his earnings from the South African national team to IPL.
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20. Steve Smith
Steve Smith is a famous cricket player from Australia who represents Delhi Capitals in the IPL. His exceptional batting and leg-spin bowling skills make him one of the top players. Since 2010, he has been an important member of the Australian Cricket team. With IPL contracts, personal business ventures, and a glorious cricket career, his net worth is approximately Rs. 166 crores.
21. Dale Steyn
Due to his exceptional bowling skills, Dale Steyn, a former South African cricketer, has been a nightmare for many batters. The right-arm speedster has an extraordinary capability to swing the ball in different ways at a quick speed. His bouncers and yorkers earned him great prominence. With a net worth of approximately 210 crores, his name is inked on the list of the richest cricketers in the world. His projects and ventures post-retirement keep him in the limelight and financially secure. Since he retired from active cricket, he has been active in the commentary box. He represented various franchises in the IPL. Brand endorsements and IPL contracts resulted in substantial net worth.
22. Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan is among the wealthiest cricket players in the world, with a net worth of Rs. 125 crores. He was the leading run-scorer during the 2013 edition of the Champion’s Trophy. He achieved the extraordinary feat of becoming the first player in the IPL to score consecutive centuries. The Champions Trophy fetched him the Player of the Tournament Award. His brand endorsements, partnerships, IPL contracts, and earnings from the BCCI and other cricket endeavours led to such massive net worth.
23. Kane Williamson
Kane Williamson is the captain of New Zealand’s cricket team in every format of the game. His expertise in encountering spin and fast bowling has been evident. In 2008, he was a part of the under-19 New Zealand cricket team that won the World Cup. Today, he is one of the world’s premier batters and the richest cricket players. His net worth is approximately 91 crores. Outside his cricket career, he ventured into business with great success. His substantial net worth is due to his illustrious cricket career, IPL contract, brand endorsements, and advertising.
24. Dwayne Bravo
The famous captain of the West Indies cricket team and all-rounder, Dwayne is one of the richest cricket players worldwide. He earned prominence as a specialist in T20s, which fetched him contracts in different leagues worldwide, like IPL, BBL, and the Caribbean Premier League. He is famous for his phenomenal skills as a bowler in the death overs. His capability to stun batters with astonishing slower deliveries is marvellous. His estimated net worth is approximately Rs.159 crores due to multiple brand collaboration deals and contracts from different T20 leagues worldwide.
25. Gautam Gambhir
The former captain of the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, Gautam is fondly called the Man of the Finals. He played for the Indian cricket team across every format. Gautam Gambhir led his IPL team to victory twice and established himself as a successful captain in the history of IPL. Under his leadership, KKR performed tremendously well in league matches. Apart from his success in IPL and international cricket, he endorses several brands, and his net worth is approximately Rs.150 crores. Now, Gautam Gambhir is a Member of the Parliament.
26. David Warner
The Australian cricket player is famous for his intrusive left-handed batting as the opening batter. His unusual journey in international cricket distinguishes him from others. David Warner is a prominent figure in the IPL and is one of the most successful batters in the history of the IPL. He debuted for the Australian team without playing first-class cricket. His debut match was marvellous, where he scored 89 runs off 43 deliveries in a T20 match against South Africa. David Warner’s net worth is Rs. 160 crores, making him among the wealthiest cricketers worldwide.
27. Ben Stokes
The England cricket team’s captain in test matches, Ben, has established himself as an exceptional player for the English cricket team. He is famous for his skill of navigating tricky situations that arise during the match and the pressure to achieve victory. Ben Stokes has played a significant role in the World Cup-winning teams by contributing significantly during the final. Besides representing England, he is famous for his stint in the IPL. His net worth is approximately Rs.105 crore, making him among the richest cricketers in the world.
28. Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler is a versatile English cricketer representing many franchises in international T20 leagues, including IPL and the BBL. He is the vice-captain of England’s ODI and T20 teams. Since debuting in 2011, Buttler has displayed exceptional skills in all game formats. He has been a prominent figure in various global leagues. His net worth is approximately Rs.99 crores. He accumulated wealth through brand collaborations, sponsorship, contracts from different leagues, and the England and Wales Cricket Board, abbreviated as ECB.
29. KL Rahul
Lokesh Rahul is considered one of the most famous premier players in Indian cricket. He is currently the vice-captain of the national cricket team. The right-handed batter represents Karnataka in domestic-first class cricket and is the new IPL franchise Lucknow SuperGiants’ captain. He is famous for his exceptional style and batting skills. His net worth is approximately Rs.99 crores. KL Rahul’s income comes from various sources, including brand endorsements, IPL contracts, personal investments, and BCCI contracts.
30. David Miller
David Miller is a famous cricket player from South Africa team who is recognised for his exceptional batting skills. His fans affectionately call him Killer Miller because of his fame as a power-hitter. The left-handed batter made his debut against the West Indies in 2010. He specialised in white ball cricket throughout his career. His net worth is approximately Rs. 120 crores, which includes his income from Cricket South Africa, IPL contracts, and brand collaborations and partnerships.
Conclusion
Cricket is one of the most famous sports. Apart from being the richest cricketers in the world, these sportspersons are role models for many. They have helped their respective countries reach new heights. Whether it is Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, or Adam Gilchrist- everybody constantly played good cricket until they retired.
They became victorious in many matches and single-handedly led their respective teams to glory when required. Their wealth results from their firmness, dedication, and hard work. They have worked hard to reach the benchmark and continue motivating innumerable young people to follow their dreams.
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