The former Indian captain and one of the greatest cricketers to hold a cricket bat, Virat Kohli, turned 35 today, i.e. November 5, 2023.
Over the decades, India has produced excellent cricketers, but arguably none have been as determined as Virat Kohli, who is the most reliable batter, or rather, best chaser, in any given format.
The teenager from Delhi who barged into the Indian senior team after winning the U-19 World Cup as a skipper has, so far, scored 8676 runs from 111 matches in the Test format, while in 288 ODI matches and 115 T20I games, Kohli has amassed 13525 and 4008 runs, respectively. Overall, the right-handed batter is the second-highest run-getter in ODI format. Along with this, he has 48 ODI centuries to his name, just second to the master blaster, Sachin Tendulkar.
Following his under-19 World Cup triumph in Malaysia, he then propelled into the Indian Premier League (IPL) straightaway and has been a part of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) since season one.
Talking about the Indian cricket team, the cricketer got his maiden cap against Sri Lanka in 2008. Though he took his time to settle in, his first century in 2009 became a strong statement to everyone, clearly mentioning that he’s here to stay. He received his first Test cap in 2011 and since then, Kohli has been a reliable batter for Team India.
This desire translated naturally into his leadership style as he led India to a lengthy tenure at the top of the Test rankings and their first-ever series victory in Australia. The ‘Captain Fearless’ was particularly demanding of his quick bowlers and frequently sacrificed a batsman for bowling depth.
Virat Kohli is India’s most successful Test leader, having won 40 matches as captain. His 58.8% success rate is the highest for an Indian captain in red-ball cricket. The no. 3 batter in limited-over formats also led India in four ICC competitions, where the Men in Blue qualified for the knockout stages in three tournaments.
Being at the top of the game for a long time has also benefited his off-field business endeavours. For the past several years, Kohli has been the go-to cricketer for advertisers. Throughout the years, his lucrative endorsement deals and investments have significantly increased his net worth, making him the richest cricket player in the world. Let’s peak into Kohli’s massive endorsements, net worth, investments, and charitable contributions on this day as he grows a year older and wiser:
Networth:
In today’s world, where sports have become one of the top methods for businesses to promote themselves, VK is an ideal candidate for brands to invest in. The former captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore had his net worth surpass INR 1000 crore, reportedly, making him one of the country’s wealthiest personalities.
To be precise, the present net worth of the top-order batter is INR 1050 crore, according to reports. Kohli’s massive wealth can be attributed to his salaries, which he receives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and RCB. Along with this, he also earns from brand endorsements and other social media promotions.
According to reports, Virat charges INR 2.5 crore for a post on X (formerly Twitter) and INR 8.9 crore for a single Instagram post.
Under BCCI’s contract, the top-order batter receives INR 7 crore a year. For a single Test, ODI, and T20I match, the veteran earns INR 15 lakh, INR 6 lakh, and INR 3 lakh, respectively. Moreover, in the IPL, the batter earns a massive INR 15 crore each year from RCB.
Kohli resides in a luxurious flat in Omkar 1973 in Worli, Mumbai. His apartment, which is located on the 35th level of the skyscraper, is estimated to be worth INR 34 crore.
The esteemed cricketer also owns some of the top automobiles like the Renault Duster, Toyota Fortuner, Range Rover Vogue, Bentley Continental GT, Bentley Continental, Audi S6, Audi R8 V10 Plus, Audi R8 LMX, Audi A8 L, Audi Q8, Audi S5, Audi RS 5, and Flying Spur.
Endorsements:
For someone with Kohli’s calibre, this list might never end. With a net worth of over INR 1000 crore, this category has to be one of the main causes behind it.
In the last 12 months, the captivating batter has partnered with numerous companies as a brand ambassador. One of them is Noise, a renowned name in lifestyle tech brands. Along with this, the Indian stationery brand, Luxor also roped in the esteemed cricketer as its brand ambassador.
Earlier in April, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India, also popularly known as HSBC India, named the former India captain as its brand influencer.
Also on the list is Duroflex, the Indian mattress brand that appointed Kohli as its brand ambassador back in May. In a recent development, the renowned firm in prescription lenses, Essilor collaborated with the star Indian cricketer.
Along with all the aforementioned brands, the astute batter already had partnerships with Digit Insurance, Puma, VIVO, Herbalife Nutrition, Vize, Great Learning, iQOO, Wellman, Himalaya, Blue Star, Myntra, Hero MotoCorp, Google Duo, Volini, Audi, Tissot, Too Yumm, Wrogn, Mobile Premier League (MPL), MuveAcoustics, Manyavar, MRF Tyres, Uber India, Valvoline, Philips India, Boost Energy Drink, American Tourister, Shyam Steel, Vicks India, and Muthoot FinCorp.
Investments:
Kohli has also made a name for himself in the entrepreneurial world. The former Indian cricket captain has emerged as a key figure in India’s developing business ecosystem.
Kohli’s investments range from health care to insurance to tourism. One of his most recent investments is in Blue Tribe, a plant-based meat firm, while his prior investment involved Hyperice, a health startup. His investment in the Indian finance firm Digit has significantly increased its worth to $3.5 billion.
Other brands in which Kohli has invested are Rage Coffee, Sport Convo, Universal Sportsbiz, Galactus Funware Technology Pvt. Ltd., and Chisel Fitness. Along with this, firms owned by Kohli are One8 Commune, Nueva, Puma One8, FC Goa, Wrogn, and Stepathlon Kids.
He also owns multiple properties around the nation which include a flat in Mumbai worth INR 34 crore and one in Gurugram valued at INR 80 crore. He also reportedly purchased a farmhouse in Alibaugh worth INR 6 crore.
Charity:
In 2013, Kohli founded the Virat Kohli Foundation (VKF) intending to transform India into a sporting powerhouse and assist players in realizing their aspirations.
In 2016, to further the mission of empowering impoverished children and youth, the VKF partnered with Smile Foundation, a national development organization.
This year, VKF merged with Kohli’s wife’s NGO, the ‘Anushka Sharma Foundation’, and was then named ‘SeVVA’. Additionally, in 2022, Kohli joined Vize as a brand ambassador and donated all of the proceeds from its sales.