Indian cricketers are revered in their native country and are amongst the richest celebrities in the land. The three players considered the most valuable are Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Indian cricket stars earn a salary form the Indian Cricket Board but can earn much more through TV deals, sponsorships, endorsements and by partaking in the IPL (Indian Premier League)
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj is estimated to be worth roughly 5 and a half million dollars. He is an aggressive middle order batsman and has been an integral part of India's ODI team for the past few years. He won the man of the tournament award in the 2011 World Cup, where India won the competition for the second time in their history. Singh earns money through TV commercials and has sponsorship deals with Fiat, Microsoft and Reebok.
Sachin Tendulkar
One of the most talented batsmen in history, Sachin Tendulkar is viewed as a god-like figure in India. Making his test debut at only 16, he has gone on to become the highest run scorer of all time and holds numerous other batting records. He is estimated to be worth around 8 million dollars; has appeared in numerous TV commercials and programs, and holds sponsorship deals with Adidas, RBS and Canon. Furthermore his "icon" status in the IPL means that he automatically receives a pay check 15% greater than his next highest paid team-mate.
MS Dhoni
Dhoni is without doubt the most valuable Indian cricketer and was included in Time magazine's list of the top 100 most influential people in the world. He is also thought to be the 10th most valuable sports brand on the planet and the richest sporting icon in Asia. A destructive middle order batsman and wicket keeper, Dhoni is the Indian national team captain. He won the man of the match award in the 2011 World Cup final, unbeaten at 91. In 2011 Dhoni signed a two year sponsorship deal with Rhiti sports which is estimated to be worth 40 million dollars.
