In a country where cricket is akin to a religion, it's only obvious that some of the best practitioners of this sport are showered with riches beyond the imagination of the masses. Virat Kohli is often the highest-ranked Indian sportsperson on the list of richest athletes. But even those who sit a notch or two below Kohli amass significant wealth. And since sporting careers are often shortlived, they make smart investments across brands to multiply their assets. We look at the successful side quests of some of the prominent cricketers.
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli, who scored a magnificent century in Perth last month, is a marquee investor. He has shown a great affinity for propelling homegrown brands with his investment. Kohli is a proud owner of the fashion brand Wrogn and has invested in Indian startups like Rage Coffee, Hyperice, Blue Tribe, and Digital Insurance. He also owns a majority stake in FC Goa, a football club in Indian Super League. Kohli ventured int the restaurant business a few years ago with the launch of the luxurious One8 Commune across metro cities.
MS Dhoni
It's been six years since MS Dhoni retired from international cricket, but his grip on fandom hasn't lost its sheen. He continues to be the face of the Indian Premier League, and also of numerous brands. Dhoni's love for football is well documented in his biopic, and he took his relationship with this game a step further by investing in Chennaiyan FC. Dhoni also owns SEVEN, a clothing brand, and had invested $2.24M in 7Ink Brews, a food & beverage brand. In 2022, the former Indian captain invested in Bengaluru-based startup KhataBook.
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar has diversified his investment portfolio with significant stakes in various companies. He holds 7.5% ownership in Musafir, a prominent tour and travel company based in the UAE. He also owns 18% stake in Smaaash Entertainment, a sports entertainment company. Additionally, he is reported to be a shareholder in a collaborative venture between Manipal Group and Future Group. Tendulkar also has a substantial 28% holding in Universal Collectabilla, a company specializing in celebrity memorabilia. On top of these investments, he was a co-owner of the Kerala Blasters football club in the Indian Super League.
Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly, the former cricketer and BCCI president, acquired a minority stake in JustMyRoots, an inter-city food delivery startup. He has learnt his lessons from his failed investment in The Food Pavillion that cost him a fortune. Ganguly also invested an undisclosed sum in Flickstree, a tech infotainment brand founded in 2014.
Yuvraj Singh
After pulling the curtains down on his illustrious cricketing career, the Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh started YouWeCan Ventures, an ode to his inspirational fight against cancer. Yuvraj went on to invest in multiple successful startups including EazyDiner, Wellversed, and JetSetGo. His most recent investment came in Agilitas, a footwear company.
KL Rahul
KL Rahul is an astute investor who boasts an enviable portfolio. Earlier this year, he invested an undisclosed sum in Drip Project's premium perfume brand, known as 'Metaman'. He also has a minority stake in a sexual wellness brand Boldfit, and recently invested a significant sum in Flam, a mixed-reality startup. However, his most notable investment is in XYXX, a men's apparel brand making waves on the internet.
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant, the wicket-keeping batter, recently acquired a 2% stake in for Rs 7.40 crore in Techjockey, an online marketplace for software solutions.
