Who is the richest active cricketer in the world?

Virat Kohli is the richest active cricketer in the world. His wealth, which is nearly INR 1000-1050 crore, comes from cricket contracts, endorsements, business investments, and his own brands.

How do cricketers earn their wealth?

Cricketers earn money through international and franchise cricket contracts, IPL salaries, brand endorsements, several business ventures, social media, advertisements, and commercial partnerships.

Who is the richest female cricketer of the world?

Australia’s all-rounder, Ellyse Perry, is the richest female cricketer in the world with an estimated net worth of nearly INR 120 crore, which comes from cricketing contracts, brand endorsements, and various commercial partnerships.

Top 10 richest cricketers in the world (Net worth)

Q: Who is the richest cricketer in the world?

Sachin Tendulkar stands at the top, being the richest cricketer with an estimated net worth of around INR 1300-1400 crore thanks to his several business ventures.

Cricket, which is the second most played sport in the current universe after football, has become one of the most lucrative sports in the world. The game’s biggest stars are earning far beyond the boundary ropes. The match fees, these days, have gone over the roof and are just a very small portion of their income. And Virat Kohli perhaps sits at the top in this aspect among the active players.

Apart from the match fees, there are brand endorsements, business ventures, investments, social media deals, and the franchise leagues around the world, which have several players building fortunes worth hundreds of crores, while in some cases, it may move up to thousands of crores.

But the million-dollar question remains: who is the richest cricketer in the world? Is it an active superstar like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, or a former legendary player whose business empire has taken his wealth to another level? The answer may not be what one would expect.

From the World Cup winners and the Indian Premier League (IPL) legends to the global brand ambassadors, these players have turned their success into enormous wealth and property. Some have built companies, a few have invested wisely, while a few will continue to dominate endorsement charts years after their retirements.

Top 10 richest cricketers in the world — Ranked by net worth

Here are the top 10 richest cricketers in the world based on their estimated net worth, considering the earnings from the game, endorsements, businesses, investments, and other income sources. Every name on the list has created a legacy not just on the field but also in the business world.

So, who tops the list, and where do stars like Kohli, Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Chris Gayle, and Rohit Sharma rank? Let’s dive into the list and find out who is the game’s current richest superstar-

#10 AB de Villiers (South Africa)- Approx. INR 306 crore-

The former South African captain, AB de Villiers, who is renowned as Mr. 360, is one of the richest players of the country. The veteran, who retired from international cricket in 2021, became the eighth player from the side to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2024. His net worth is estimated to be nearly INR 306 crore.

De Villiers, who has played around the globe across the three formats for a long time, was also a prominent figure in the IPL and got paid a high salary from the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for most of the past. He has also collaborated with various brands like Sneaker LAB, Supply6, MRF, Mont Blanc, and Wrong, and he has also invested in areas like design, sales and marketing, and commerce and shopping.

#9 Shane Watson (Australia)- Approx. INR 348 crore-

One of the top all-rounders of his time, Shane Watson, who led the Australian side in the shortest format, is one of the top 10 wealthiest cricketers in the world. He hung up his shoes from international cricket in 2016 after the T20 World Cup 2016, where he faced India in the last game in Mohali. He was a crucial part of their two World Cup-winning sides in 2007 and 2015.

Watson became the ninth highest-paid cricketer of all-time. His net worth is around INR 348 crore, and he made a substantial amount of money from the central cricket contracts and the IPL contracts, where he played for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He also played in various leagues in Pakistan, the West Indies, and other places.

Watson continued to earn through commentary, analysis, coaching, and business ventures. He also invested in real estate by purchasing and is a brand ambassador for the Indian Protein brand FitFeast since 2025.

#8 Virender Sehwag (India)- Approx. INR 348 crore-

The former Indian opening batter, Virender Sehwag, is among the list of the richest players in India. He represented the national side between 1999 and 2013 and was widely known as one of the most aggressive batters of the game, who changed the approach of openers against the new ball.

Sehwag, who is one of the only four batters in the history of the game to score two triple centuries (300+) in Tests, has a net worth of nearly INR 348 crore. Most of his earnings came through international cricket contracts and the IPL during his playing career. Sehwag, apart from this, has endorsed brands like Boost, Hero Honda, and ADIDAS.

In Haryana, he has established the Sehwag International School and invested in startups like T9L QUBE. His foundation works as a philanthropic organization as it focuses on offering quality education, sports training, and aid to underprivileged children in India.

#7 Chris Gayle (West Indies)- Approx. INR 393 crore-

The former West Indies opener, Chris Gayle, who called himself the ‘Universe Boss’, was the most brutal player of his time in the shortest format. But along with smashing 14562 runs in 455 T20 innings at a strike rate of 144.75, he also played 103 Tests and 301 ODIs for the West Indies.

Gayle, who was a regular member in the IPL for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) side between 2011 and 2016, has a net worth of nearly INR 393 crore. His massive property makes him one of the richest players of all time. He has multiple contracts and collaborations with several brands.

Gayle owns the sports bar named ‘Triple Century 333’ in Jamaica and has also invested in real estate properties. He also invested in IONA Entertainment and FlipAR.

#6 Jacques Kallis (South Africa)- Approx. INR 419 crore-

The most premier all-rounder of the game, South Africa's Jacques Kallis, did everything a player could have done in Tests and ODIs. In the longest format, he collected 13289 runs and picked up 292 wickets, while in the ODI format, the 50-year-old bagged 11579 runs and 273 wickets.

Kallis, who won a total of 23 Player of the Match awards to be at the top in the qualification, has a net worth of nearly INR 419 crore, making him sixth on the list. Just like the other players, he also had international contracts and IPL contracts and partnered with major brands like Slazenger, Pepsi, Reebok, and Advance Hair Studio India.

#5 Brian Lara (West Indies)- Approx. 524 crore-

The former West Indies captain, Brian Lara, is one of the top 10 richest players in the world. Coming from Port of Spain and known as ‘The Prince’, he is regarded as one of the top 10 batters in the world and had a net worth of nearly INR 524 crores.

Lara holds the record for the highest individual score in Tests, when he smashed an unbeaten 400 runs against England, before getting an unbeaten 501 runs in County Cricket. He also partnered with various companies like CA Sports and MRF and has his own eyewear line known as the Brian Lara Vision Collection.

The eyewear was designed by Ferreria Optical Ltd in collaboration with the batter, who is also engaged in several charity works, such as the foundation named Pearl and Bunty Lara Foundation, which keeps an eye on health and social care.

#4 Ricky Ponting (Australia)- Approx. INR 612 crore-

The former World Cup-winning captain of the Australian side, Ricky Ponting, had a net worth of nearly INR 612 crore and has worked as a coach and commentator after ending his playing career. He is the richest Australian cricketer of all time.

Ponting, who played in the IPL, became the coach of Delhi Capitals (DC) and currently Punjab Kings (PBKS), and announced his international retirement in 2012. He is a premier commentator and has tied up with various brands like Pura Milk, Rexona, ADIDAS, and others.

#3 MS Dhoni (India)- Approx INR 1040 crore-

The former Indian captain, MS Dhoni, is the third richest player in the world, and he has been the most successful captain in ICC events from the country, having won all three major ICC titles, including the ODI World Cup 2011, T20 World Cup 2007, and the Champions Trophy 2013.

In 2020, Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket but continued to feature in the IPL for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). His net worth is estimated to be around INR 1040 crore, as Dhoni's wealth comes from the combination of his high-value IPL contracts, strong earnings from brand endorsements and investments in startups, fitness, and production.

In Ranchi, Dhoni owns a hotel called Hotel Mahi Residency, as it reflects his interest in the hotel industry. In 2010, he founded the MS Dhoni Charitable Foundation, which empowers underprivileged children.

#2 Virat Kohli (India)- Approx. INR 1000-1050 crore-

Another former Indian captain, Virat Kohli, is the second richest cricketer of the world currently and has a net worth of around INR 1050 crore. Starting his international career in 2008, Kohli has broken several records across the three formats in his long-lasting career. Having already retired from T20Is and Tests, he is available only in ODIs.

Kohli has signed high-value IPL contracts and received a high-paying BCCI salary, and has done collaborations with brands like Audi, Puma, and MRF along with owning a restaurant chain called One8 Commune.

The Delhi-born has also invested in startups like Blue Tribe, Universal Sportsbiz and Digit Insurance besides being a philanthropist in the Virat Kohli Foundation, which works closely with other NGOs to support underprivileged children to get access to education, healthcare, and sports training.

#1 Sachin Tendulkar (India)- Approx. 1300-1400 crore-

Named as ‘God of Cricket’, ‘Master Blaster’, and ‘Little Master’, Sachin Tendulkar had a 24-year-long playing career between 1989 and 2013. It has been over a decade since he retired from international cricket. Tendulkar made investments in several business ventures and sports-related franchises and has been quite successful when it comes to generating wealth beyond his playing salary.

Sachin runs a foundation known as the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation with his wife, Dr. Anjali Tendulkar. His foundation supports underprivileged children through sports, Health, and Education. He is a true icon whose legacy has been built on his talent, integrity, and compassion for the young generation.