Former India head coach Ravi Shastri recently lifted the veil on the astounding wealth of India’s top cricketers, describing their income as nothing short of "jaw‑dropping."

During a candid appearance on the Stick To Cricket podcast hosted by former England cricketer Michael Vaughan, Shastri did not hold back his admiration for how these players monetize their fame.

The topic of how much elite Indian players like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Sachin Tendulkar earn came up early in the conversation.

'Upwards of Rs 100 crores'

Vaughan asked, “What kind of numbers do these superstars in India earn?” Without hesitation, Shastri replied, “They earn a lot," Shastri said.

“They earn a lot through endorsements, for sure" before adding “Upwards of Rs 100 crores. Which I would say is 10 million pounds." 

Pressed further on how that amount translated into international currency, Shastri explained: “I would say… you just calculate 100 rupees is a pound. So you work backwards and you calculate upwards of that because someone like MS Dhoni or a Virat Kohli or a Sachin Tendulkar at his pomp, they would do over 15, 20 ads," Shastri continued.

His offhand but illustrative conversion underlined the massive scale of their earnings.

Shastri also provided fascinating insight into the sheer volume of advertisement shoots Indian icons undertake. As he put it, “Someone like an M.S or a Virat or Sachin and his pomp. They would do over 15‑20 ads. And it's per day. There is no time.” 

This led Shastri to reflect that such commitments allowed for high returns on very limited time commitments: “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".

Shastri’s revelations highlight just how much cricket life in India intersects with commerce.

Despite cricket’s limited global reach compared to football or basketball, Indian players have emerged as some of the most marketable athletes in the world—budgets and time constraints be damned. Their popularity, commercial appeal, and packed playing schedules combine to create unprecedented earning potential that few athletes anywhere can match.