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India’s top cricketers like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Sachin Tendulkar make massive sums of money, not just from playing the game, but also through brand endorsements. Their total annual income can easily cross INR 100 crore, and it could be more than that for Virat Kohli.

Recently, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri made this explosive revelation on a cricket podcast featuring former English cricketers amidst the ongoing five-match Test series between the two sides. Notably, Shastri is currently in England for his broadcasting duties.

Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar rake in crores from endorsements alone!!

When asked about how much big names like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Sachin Tendulkar earn, the former Indian captain explained that their endorsement deals alone are worth millions of pounds. Indian cricket superstars like Kohli, Dhoni, and Tendulkar have been among the most sought-after faces for commercials in the country.

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At the peak of their popularity, these top cricketers worked with at least 15 to 20 brands. These deals usually involve just a single day of shooting, and in return, the ad runs on TV and digital platforms throughout the year, as Shastri explained.

Ravi Shastri said on the podcast Stick To Cricket featuring Alastair Cook, Phil Tufnell, Michael Vaughan, and David Lloyd, “They earn a lot. They earn a lot through endorsements, for sure. Upwards of Rs 100 crores. Which I would say is 10 million pounds.”

The former Indian head coach’s revelation shocked David Lloyd as he yelled, “Wow!"

Ravi Shastri explains how Virat Kohli and others make crores from 'One-Day Shoots'

Later explained, “I would say… you just calculate 100 rupees is a pound. So, you work backwards, and you calculate upwards from that because someone like MS Dhoni or Virat Kohli or Sachin Tendulkar at his peak would do over 15 or 20 ads.”

Given the limited time available since India plays a lot of cricket, the players prefer one-day shoots, and still, they get massive money through it. This business model allows top Indian cricketers to generate a huge income while focusing on the game.

Shastri signed off by saying, “It’s per day. There’s no time. They could easily do more because of the amount of cricket being played. So, you know, they’ll do an ad for a year and give a day—just one day—to shoot. That’s all you’ll get. And then you play it out as many times as you want.”

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BCCI pays its cricketers through Player Grades

Meanwhile, the BCCI gives Indian players central contracts based on their performance and need across the formats.

These contracts are divided into four categories—Grade A+, Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C. The players in Grade A+ are the top stars and receive INR 7 crore per year.

Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja currently hold the Grade A+ contracts with the BCCI. Those in Grade A earn INR 5 crore a year.

This group has six players: KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, and Rishabh Pant. Grade B players get INR 3 crore annually, and those in Grade C receive INR 1 crore each from the BCCI.