Who is India’s Richest Cricketer Virat, Dhoni or Samarjitsinh Gaekwad?

Many cricket fans worldwide believe that Indian cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, or former captain Virat Kohli must be the richest cricketers from India. However, they couldn't be further from the truth. The actual title of the "richest cricketer" hailing from India goes to Samarjitsinh Ranjitsingh Gaekwad, a former first-class cricketer from Baroda, with a staggering net worth of over Rs 20,000 Crore. This amount significantly overshadows the current net worth of Virat Kohli, which stands at around Rs 1,000 Crore.

Samarjitsinh Ranjitsingh Gaekwad belongs to the royal family of Baroda and not only had a brief career as a first-class cricketer for Baroda but also served as a cricket administrator for the Baroda Cricket Association. During his cricket career, Samarjitsinh played in six first-class matches in the Ranji Trophy between the 1987-88 and 1988-89 seasons, scoring 119 runs with a top score of 65.

In May 2012, following the passing of his father, Samarjitsinh was crowned Maharaja in a traditional ceremony at Laxmi Vilas Palace on June 22, 2012. He subsequently settled a lengthy legal inheritance dispute with his uncle Sangramsinh Gaekwad in 2013, which was worth more than Rs 20,000 crore. Through this settlement, Samarjitsinh gained ownership of various valuable assets, including Laxmi Vilas Palace, over 600 acres of real estate near the palace, the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara, and the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum. He also acquired movable assets such as paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, gold, silver, and royal jewelry that belonged to Fatehsinghrao.

Aside from his wealth and cricketing background, Samarjitsinh manages temple trusts for 17 temples in Gujarat and Banaras. Since 2002, he has been married to Radhikaraje, who comes from the royal family of Wankaner State, and the couple has two daughters. They, along with Shubhanginiraje, reside in the magnificent Laxmi Vilas Palace, which is renowned as the largest private residence in India.

Comparatively, according to recent reports, Virat Kohli has a net worth of around Rs 1,050 crore, with earnings of Rs 15 crore from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as a player for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Dhoni, the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), reportedly has a net worth of approximately Rs 1,040 crore. His impressive financial success stems from various investments, brand endorsements, and his IPL salary, which amounts to Rs 12 crore.

In conclusion, Samarjitsinh Gaekwad's immense wealth surpasses that of prominent Indian cricketers like Kohli and Dhoni, establishing him as the wealthiest cricketer from India.