Indian cricket players have established their dominance not only on the field but also in the business world. Be it BCCI’s central contract or IPL’s heavy salary, money definitely comes from cricket. But there are some star players who have made smart investments in business along with cricket. Today, a major part of his income comes not from cricket but from brand deals, startups and his own business.
There are three such Indian cricketers in this list who are earning more from business than from cricket. Virat Kohli’s name comes at the top.
Virat Kohli is a business king.
Virat Kohli is not just a cricketer today, but a powerful brand. His earnings from cricket are already quite high. Under BCCI’s A plus contract, he gets around Rs 7 crore every year. His earnings from IPL are also in crores.
But Virat Kohli is earning real money from business. His One8 brand is quite popular in the fashion, fitness and food sectors. He has a long term partnership with Puma, which gives him huge income every year. Apart from this, Virat has also invested in many startups. It has a strong hold in gym chains, health products and lifestyle brands.
According to media reports, Virat Kohli’s total net worth is said to be around Rs 1050 crore. For this reason, today he is considered number one among the richest athletes of India.
MS Dhoni is away from cricket but still earning money nonstop.
MS Dhoni may have retired from international cricket long ago, but he remains at the top of the money list. His journey with Chennai Super Kings in IPL has been quite long. He was also a part of IPL in 2025 and his salary was around Rs 4 crore, which he was getting under the uncapped player rule.
Dhoni’s main income source now is his business. His lifestyle brand Se7en is quite popular in the clothing and footwear market. Apart from this, Dhoni has invested in sports academies, football clubs, organic farming and many tech startups.
Dhoni is fond of bikes and cars, and he has turned this hobby into a business. According to media reports, MS Dhoni’s net worth has exceeded Rs 1000 crore. All this has come less from cricket and more from business.
Sachin Tendulkar remains strong in earnings even after retiring from cricket.
Sachin Tendulkar retired from cricket in 2013, but earning money never stopped for him. After his cricket career, Sachin made his own identity in the business world.
Sachin’s True Blue fashion brand has been running in the market for quite some time. Apart from this, he is associated with the gaming company JetSynthesise. They also have strong investments in sports leagues, be it football or badminton. He has also been the co-owner of many sports teams.
Sachin Tendulkar has also earned well through sports management and endorsements. After cricket, he has created his own complete business ecosystem, which gives him an income of crores every year.
One last thing:
These days, cricket is not just a game, but a strong platform for building a business. Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar have proved that if the planning is right then money does not stop even after cricket. These three players are an example for the new generation of cricketers today that how important it is to plan for the future along with the career.