For the second year in a row, Virat Kohli has been named the highest-paid Indian celebrity on Instagram. Even though his batting form has been on a steep decline, the money he makes from Instagram has risen by almost $400,000.
Read More: Where Does Virat Kohli Rank Among India’s Batting Greats In Test Cricket?
In a list titled Instagram Rich List 2022, released every year by Hooperhq, Kohli ranks 14 overall, and among sportsmen, only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are ahead of him. Ronaldo is the highest-paid star in the world, commanding an astronomical sum of $2,397,000 per post, a sharp increase from the $1.6 million he was making till last year.
Messi, who has over 327 followers on the platform, charges $1,777,000 per post. In between Messi and Ronaldo, sits Kylie Jenner.
The list is dominated by footballers, while Kohli remains the only cricketer on the list.
How Much Does Kohli Charge Per Post?
Kohli, who boasts 209 million followers on Instagram, earns $1,088,000 per post. His profile is filled with promotional campaigns, for brands like Wellman, Digit, Puma, Audi, MRF Tyres, Fire Boult, and many others. He signed an eight-year deal with Puma for a sum of Rs 110 crore.
In 2021, Kohli earned close to Rs 200 crore from brand endorsements alone. When he lost captaincy, many expected a massive decline in his personal brand. But these figures suggest otherwise.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Kohli, along with MS Dhoni, are the only two cricket stars whose brand power is agnostic to their on-field performances.
“Brands look for form and till the time Kohli is active and performs on the field, brands will stay with him,” social commentator Santosh Desai said to Economic Times.
Kohli is going through the leanest patch of his career, failing to score a century in over three years. He has been rested for the ongoing limited-overs series against West Indies, which has drawn lots of criticism from both fans and former cricket pundits.
Featured Image Credit: Virat Kohli/Instagram
