Virat Kohli may be the boldest batsman in the cricket industry today. Analysts believe that his talent for choosing his battles — which balls to hit and which to ignore — as well as his marvelous control of stamina and concentration puts him at a step above the rest.

But his batting prowess isn’t the only thing he’s known for. Kohli has got loads of cash in his pockets as he claims — for two years in a row (2020 and 2019) — the title for the highest paid cricketer in the Indian Premier League .

Virat Kohli's net worth in 2020 (estimate): $26 million

Chiku has been the franchise player for the Royal Challengers Bangalore since 2008. In the same year, he debuted for the Indian National Team as well. Now, he serves as the national team captain which experts believe is the “most balanced team in Indian history. 

How much is Chiku paid for his cricket skills? A whopping $2.4 million. But his salary is just a wee amount compared to his bounties from numerous endorsement deals. 

Forbes plotted Kohli’s net worth at $26 million. This means his endorsement earnings add up to $23 million or more. Chiku has more than 17 brands under his belt. In 2017, the India’s batting prince signed deals with big-time companies in the likes of Puma, Audi, Uber, MRF Tyres, Colgate-Palmolive, and many more. 

Kohli recently separated ways from one of his long-time brand partners. He was the brand ambassador for luxury watch brand Tissot since 2019 but that partnership later came to an end at the latter part of last year. His manager was forced to confirm this break-away to the public as rumors sparked as to why the athlete started wearing a different watch brand to events. 

The batting prince deals with his endorsements carefully and only promotes the ones that align to his personal advocacies. In 2017, he rejected a Pepsi endorsement because of the health risks cola drinks poses. Yet, in that same year, he saw his net worth jump from $17 million to $22 million.

He is also loyal to his brands. As an Audi ambassador, he boasts an impressive collection of A8, R8, Q7, and many more. 

Earlier this year, Chinese-based smartphone developer iQOO debuted in Indian markets and snagged the batsman as its endorser. Their statements prove that Virat Kohli has not lost his charm to the big businessmen of today.

“As a brand, we want to appeal to young, energetic people who are determined to respond to any challenge with aplomb. Virat is the most seamless fit for our brand's personality, and we are pleased with him being the face of iQOO.”

Kohli has continued to top One Day International (ODI) Batsman ranking, a title that he has solely claimed since 2017. His cricket magic propelled him to the top of India’s elite society and perhaps it will be his endorsements that will keep him there.

His story proves that athletic endorsements are one of the most remarkable and expensive markets out there. After all, you don’t get to be the lone cricketer and the lone Indian national in the 2020 Forbes’ 100 Highest Paid Athletes list for nothing.