Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar set standards in world cricket in many aspects, be it scoring 100 international centuries or scoring over 34,000 international runs. The ‘Mumbai Maestro’ also holds the record for the most expensive bat contract in the world with MRF – worth over Rs 8 crore annually.
It was all when one man came along and changed it all. The batsman is none other than former India skipper Virat Kohli, who is the second-highest century-scorer in international cricket with 75 hundreds and will be all set to play his historic 500th match when the second Test against the West Indies begins in the Port-Off. are happening Spain in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday.
Kohli broke all bat contract records and signed a blockbuster Rs 100 crore deal with MRF till 2025, which includes an annual pay of Rs 12.5 crore, breaking Tendulkar’s record. After Kohli, former South Africa and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsman AB de Villiers also signed with MRF.
cre trending stories
A total team effort. Congratulations to Yashasvi and Ishaan on their Test debuts. , pic.twitter.com/4i2WA0sEjA— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) 15 July 2023
Team India skipper Rohit Sharma has the second costliest bat contract in the world, worth over Rs 4 crore annually with another tire brand – CEAT. The third batsman in this list is Australian opener and captain of Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023 season, David Warner, who has signed an annual Rs 3.3 crore deal with DSC brand for bat sponsorship.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s bat sponsorship pales in comparison to him. Babar’s bat deal with Gray-Nicholls is just Rs 1.14 crore per annum.
Warner’s teammate and former Australian captain Steve Smith has the fourth highest bat sponsorship deal with New Balance at Rs 2.45 crore. Smith uses NB’s DC-10 version of the bat and has a sponsorship deal to use their sporting items, including helmets, pads and gloves.
The fifth batsman in this list is a retired Indian cricketer – MS Dhoni – who stepped away from international cricket in 2020. However, the Chennai Super Kings captain had the fifth highest bat sponsorship till his retirement.
Till the time of his retirement from international cricket, Dhoni’s contract with the Spartan company was worth Rs 2.2 crores. The CSK skipper now uses BAS sponsorship as he plays IPL only once a year but led CSK to a record-equalling fifth title in the IPL 2023 season.
Team India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who has been injured after a horrific car accident in December last year, is next on the list with an annual contract of Rs 2 crore with SG. While former England captain Joe Root’s deal with New Balance is worth Rs 1.8 crore.
batsman with most expensive bat sponsorship
Virat Kohli Rs 12.5 crore
Rohit Sharma Rs 4 crore
david warner Rs 3.3 crore
steve smith Rs 2.45 crore
M S Dhoni – 2.2 Rs. Ten million
Rishabh Pant Rs 2 crore
Joe Root Rs 1.8 crore
Kane Williamson Rs 1.64 crore
Aaron Finch Rs 1.39 crore
Babar Azam Rs 1.14 crore