First Rs 100 crore mega deal of cricket was signed by neither MS Dhoni nor Virat Kohli

Ace batter Virat Kohli is one of the most sellable sports celebrities all over the world. Ranking among the highest-paid athletes in the world, Kohli has amassed a whopping net worth of over Rs 1,000 crore.

Kohli took over the mantle as the face of Indian cricket and sports from legendary captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is still one of the highest-earning sports persons in India. MS Dhoni, Kohli and current India captain Rohit Sharma are at the top of the endorsement lists with around 30 deals to each’s name.

Kohli reportedly has a mega deal with Puma worth Rs 110 crore. He has the most expensive bat sponsorship with MRF worth Rs 100 crore where he takes home in excess of Rs 12 crore each year. On the other hand, Dhoni takes home a reported Rs 25 crore from bat sponsorship deals. His other big deals include Spartan Sports and Amity University. 

However, before Dhoni and Kohli bagged big deals, it was the little master, living legend Sachin Tendulkar who set the tone for cricketers. In fact, Tendulkar established himself as one of the most sellable faces in sports two decades ago when he signed an unseen Rs 100 crore deal.

Tendulkar’s deal with marketing maestro Mark Mascarenhas-led sports management company WorldTel propelled him to the world map, making him one of the most recognisable global stars. The historic deal set the stage for cricket to become a global phenomenon years before IPL took its first steps.