Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is an Indian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batters of his generation and, by most measures, the most commercially valuable cricketer in the world. A former captain of the Indian national team across all formats, Kohli has built his wealth through central contracts with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), a long career with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League, and one of the largest athlete endorsement portfolios in Asia. Widely reported estimates place his net worth between $120 million and $140 million.

Early Life & Family

Kohli was born in Delhi to Prem Kohli, a criminal lawyer, and Saroj Kohli. He joined the West Delhi Cricket Academy at age nine and progressed through Delhi’s youth cricket system, captaining India to victory at the 2008 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, a tournament widely seen as his breakout moment. He is married to Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, whom he wed in 2017, and the couple have two children.

Rise to Fame

Kohli made his international debut for India in 2008 and was signed by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (now Bengaluru) ahead of the inaugural IPL season that same year, beginning an association with the franchise that has continued for his entire IPL career. He was named India’s Test captain in 2014-15 and led the team across formats for several years, during which India rose to the top of the Test rankings. He stepped down from captaincy across formats between 2021 and 2022 but has remained a first-choice batter for India, including at the 2025 Champions Trophy, where India won the title.

Photo: Dee03 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Career History

Kohli has played for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for his entire IPL career, winning the franchise’s first title in 2025. He retired from Test cricket in 2025 after more than a decade as one of India’s most prolific batters in the format, while continuing to play white-ball cricket for India. He holds numerous India batting records, including the most centuries in One Day International cricket, and has been named ICC Cricketer of the Year multiple times.

Photo: Anand Anil via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Annual Earnings

Indian sports-business publications (including Forbes India and Duff & Phelps’ celebrity brand valuation reports) have consistently ranked Kohli as the most valuable athlete brand in India, with total annual earnings from IPL salary, BCCI central contract, and endorsements estimated at well over $25-30 million in recent years — a figure driven overwhelmingly by endorsement income rather than playing salary, since Indian cricket board and IPL pay, while high by Indian standards, is modest compared to top athletes in Western sports.

Contracts & Salaries

Kohli holds the BCCI’s top-tier (“A+”) central contract, reported to be worth INR 7 crore (roughly $840,000) per year, alongside IPL match fees. His Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL salary has been among the highest in the league for most of his career, with his retention/auction value reported at INR 21 crore (roughly $2.5 million) for recent seasons under the league’s salary-cap structure. These playing contracts represent only a modest share of his total income compared to his endorsement portfolio.

Endorsement Deals

Kohli signed a lifetime endorsement and apparel-licensing deal with Puma in 2017, reported at the time by Indian media (including the Economic Times) to be worth around INR 1,100 crore (roughly $100-110 million at the time) over eight years — among the largest athlete-brand deals in Indian sporting history. He has also held long-running endorsement deals with brands including MRF (bats), Audi, American Tourister, and various FMCG and tech brands, and has consistently topped Indian celebrity brand-value rankings alongside Bollywood’s biggest stars.

Businesses & Investments

Kohli co-owns the One8 athleisure brand with Puma, and has stakes in the Chisel fitness gym chain, the Wrogn fashion label, and restaurant ventures including Nueva and the One8 Commune chain of bars/restaurants across Indian cities. He is also a reported investor in plant-based meat company Blue Tribe Foods and digital insurance company Digit Insurance, part of a broader startup investment portfolio he has built through his family office alongside other Indian athletes and celebrities.

Property & Major Assets

Kohli and Anushka Sharma are reported by Indian real estate press to own residential property in Mumbai (a sea-facing apartment in Worli) and a villa in Alibaug, alongside a home in Gurugram/Delhi NCR. He has been reported to own a luxury car collection including an Audi R8 and other high-end vehicles supplied through his long-running Audi partnership. Exact current holdings and valuations are not independently confirmed.

Wealth Timeline

2008	India debut and inaugural IPL signing with Royal Challengers Bangalore
2014	Named India Test captain; endorsement demand rises sharply
2017	Signs lifetime Puma deal reported around INR 1,100 crore (~$100-110m); marries Anushka Sharma
2019	Ranked India’s most valuable celebrity brand by Duff & Phelps
2025	Wins first IPL title with RCB; retires from Test cricket; India wins Champions Trophy
2026	Estimated net worth widely reported in the $120m-$140m range

Comparison With Similar Celebrities

Kohli is consistently ranked as India’s most valuable sports/celebrity brand, ahead of fellow cricketers like Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni (both generally estimated in the $30-40 million range) and comparable to or ahead of top Bollywood stars in brand-value studies. Globally, his net worth is well below that of top football or basketball stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, reflecting the generally lower playing-salary ceiling in cricket, though his endorsement earning power is considered among the highest of any athlete in Asia.

Personal Life

Kohli is married to actress Anushka Sharma, and the couple have two children, Vamika and Akaay. He has been vocal about fitness and lifestyle changes he credits with extending his career, and is involved with the Virat Kohli Foundation, which supports underprivileged children and animal welfare causes in India.

References

Sources referenced for this article include reporting from the Economic Times, Forbes India, Duff & Phelps celebrity brand valuation reports, ESPNcricinfo, and BCCI/IPL public contract disclosures. Net worth figures are estimates compiled from public business reporting, compiled from public business reporting. Last updated: August 2026.

From a Delhi cricket academy to the most valuable athlete brand in India, Virat Kohli’s financial rise has mirrored his transformation into one of the sport’s most recognizable modern players — and with his business ventures continuing to expand well beyond the cricket pitch, his earning power looks likely to outlast his playing career by a wide margin.

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