Virat Kohli Net Worth, Cricket, Early Life

Virat Kohli has had a more meteoric rise in sports than we've seen in some time. Rising from low-level cricket to commanding the attention of Indian and global sports, Virat hasn't seemed to let anything shake him from meeting his goals.

Let's take a detailed look at Kohli's life. We'll cover his early life, how his career first started, and where the fame began for this cricketing giant. Let's get into it.

How Much is Virat Kohli Worth?

As one of India's best-loved sports stars, it's no wonder Virat Kohli has a substantial net worth. Let's look into his wealth and income to get a clearer picture of Kohli's finances.

Net Worth

Kohli has a total net worth of around $100 million. He's earned a great salary since his earliest days in the sport and has drawn in money from other sources too.

Salary

Kohli made the majority of his wealth on the cricket field. Teams throughout India have been eager to break the bank to sign this impressive batsman. That's why Kohli is one of the highest-paid athletes in the world, with career earnings over $26 million.

Kohli's salary peaked in recent years, with the cricketer on top of his game. The Royal Challengers paid Kohli a salary of $2.1 million in 2018, the highest wage of any Indian Premier League team at the time.

Business Interests

There's more than one way for a top-performing athlete to make money. Kohli has wisely invested his money into a string of business interests over the years.

Specifically, Kohli has invested in a range of sporting investments. Indulging his passion for soccer, he invested in Indian Super League outfit FC Goa, becoming one of the club's co-owners. He also has holdings in tennis and wrestling teams.

Outside of professional sports, Kohli owns a chain of gyms across the country. The Chisel brand of fitness centers quickly became a successful enterprise.

The famed Indian cricket player also has a hand in the fashion industry. Kohli owns the WROGN brand. The company produces casual clothing and sportswear for men. Kohli served as a brand ambassador, putting his famous face to good use in promoting this fledgling business interest.

Brand Endorsements

Another way Kohli boosts his wealth is through a wide array of brand endorsements. Many major companies are only too happy to pay a sizeable fee to gain the considerable promotional power Kohli can offer them.

Some of Kohli's brand partnerships include international companies like Puma and Herbalife, along with up-and-coming Indian businesses like Fire-Boltt.

Kohli maintains endorsement deals with over a dozen companies at any one time. It's a great way of making extra cash that requires minimal time outlay from the sports star.

Early Life & Background

Born in 1988 in New Delhi, Kohli's family was relatively well-off. His father worked as a criminal lawyer, and his mother stayed at home to take care of the young Virat and his two siblings.

Young Virat was a fairly ordinary child. He had average grades in school and plenty of friends. Of course, he loved to play sports too.

Kohli demonstrated a strong interest in cricket from an early age. Enjoying his first taste of the game while at primary school, he joined the West Delhi Cricket Academy at the age of nine. This academy was run by former first-class cricket player Rajkumar Sharma who offered his young charges the benefit of his vast experience in the game.

Career

Kohli hasn't always been the superstar we know today. Let's learn more about his journey to cricket stardom.

Early Domestic Career

Kohli's cricket career was a rollercoaster ride from low-ranked cricket to stardom on the international stage.

With his excellent batting and determination to succeed, Kohli soon caught the eye of high-level teams. In 2002, he made his debut for Delhi's under-15 squad and was made captain the following season.

In 2006, Delhi moved Kohli up to the senior squad to participate in List A matches. Soon after, he participated in first-class cricket for the first time, making his debut against Tamil Nadu.

Kohli was so determined to play as much as possible that he appeared in one Delhi game the day after his father's death. Following the game, he went straight to the funeral to pay his respects.

Indian Premier League

After impressing in first-class and international cricket, Kohli earned a move to Indian Premier League team Royal Challengers Bangalore for the competition's inaugural season. Although regarded as a hot prospect, his first contract with the team earned him only $30,000. His first season in the Indian Premier League was less than impressive, as Kohli made only 165 runs in 12 innings.

As the seasons went on, Kohli steadily improved. The better training facilities, coaching, and opposition in the Indian Premier League allowed Kohli's game to flourish and he took every opportunity he could to improve his game.

2013 was Kohli's breakout season in domestic cricket. With 634 runs, he was the third highest run-getter in the competition.

After a couple of underwhelming campaigns, 2016 saw Kohli's most successful campaign to date. With 733 runs, he broke the record for the most number of runs in an IPL season ever. The Challengers finished second in the league, largely thanks to Kohli's great form.

Despite consistently strong performances for the Challengers, Kohli has never managed to win an Indian Premier League title. Although he's coming to the end of his career, there's still a chance he could meet that goal before he retires from the game.

International Career

Soon after beginning his senior cricket career, Kohli was offered the chance to compete on the international stage. His first opportunity came in 2006 when he was selected for the India Under-19 squad during a tour of England.

Only two years later, Kohli enjoyed his first international trophy. As captain, he led the team to victory in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia. With a record of 235 runs in six matches, he was the third best batsman in the competition with 235 runs across six matches.

Kohli made his first senior international appearance in 2008 when he was called up to the Indian ODI squad to participate in competitions in Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

In 2010, Kohli's leadership abilities were recognized when he was given the position of vice-captain in the international squad. After a slow start, he became a key member of the squad and named to India's 2011 World Cup squad. Playing in every match of the campaign, he went on to play a key role in the final against Sri Lanka.

In the following years, Kohli continued to excel, before being appointed Test captain in 2014. In 2016 he was given the ODI captaincy. And in 2017, Kohli reached 10,000 runs in ODI cricket, a remarkable achievement that most cricketers could only dream of.

End of Captaincy

In 2021, Kohli announced his decision to step down as India's T20I captain. Although it was a surprising decision for some, Kohli's importance to the team had been declining for some time, and many in the Indian cricket organization felt the time was right for a change.

The following year, Kohli stepped down as test captain for India too. Although he remained eligible for international selection, he has left his leadership roles behind him.

Relationship

Kohli's wife is perhaps even better known than he is. Since 2010, he has been married to Anushka Sharma, an actress and producer famous for her work in Bollywood.

The pair were married in Italy in 2017, having been dating for several years beforehand. Although both are megastars, they try to keep out of the public eye and rarely talk about their relationship in the media.

Family

In 2021, Kohli became a father for the first time. His daughter, Vamika, was born in January of that year.

Kohli maintains strong links with his extended family. He is particularly close to his siblings, and his mother lives close to the Virat family home. Sadly, his father died in 2006 following a stroke. His death came shortly after Kohli had begun his professional cricket career.

FAQ

Kohli's life isn't just about finances and fast bowling. There's a lot more to learn about the great man. Let's try to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this beloved professional athlete.

What is Virat Kohli's Religion?

Like his wife, Kohli is a practicing Hindu. He was raised in the faith and is a strong devotee of Shiva.

At times, Kohli has shown his religious leanings on the sporting field through the use of various symbols and charms. He wears a religious black thread and a kara on his arm.

Does Virat Kohli have Tattoos?

Kohli has several tattoos spread across his body. He has religious tattoos, including a large depiction of the God Shiva.

He also has tattoos of scorpions, a samurai warrior, and the numbers of his ODI and Test caps. You could say his skinart is as varied and interesting as his career!

What is Virat Kohli's Diet Like?

Since 2018, Kohli has lived as a vegetarian. He originally took up the diet to help with his batting. Cutting out meat from his diet reduced the levels of uric acid in his body, helping to overcome some health issues that were impacting his game.

His wife Anushka Sharma is a prominent vegetarian too. She has been vocal about the health and ethical benefits of a meat-free lifestyle.

Is Virat Kohli Involved in Charity Work?

As one of the richest men in India, many people want to know if Kohli gives anything back to the world that has been so kind to him,

Throughout his career, Kohli has been heavily involved in various charitable causes. His charity foundation, the Virat Kohli Foundation, works with various NGOs on projects at home and abroad.

Kohli has also participated in charity events including auctions and soccer games. These events have helped to raise money for Save the Children India and other charities.

What are Virat Kohli's Hobbies?

Kohli has an extremely busy life between his sporting career and business interests. So, it's natural he likes to spend some time relaxing and winding down ahead of the next big game or investment decision.

The cricket star is passionate about music. His favorites are Punjabi tunes, and he's been known to step out on the dancefloor from time to time.

What are Virat Kohli's Best-Known Media Appearances?

Kohli appears in Indian media regularly. Turn on the TV in India, and you'll often see the man appearing on talk shows, comedy shows, and news programs.

Perhaps his most notable media appearance is in the show Super V. This animated program depicts Kohli as a teenage superhero. While the financial details behind the show aren't known at present, it's likely Kohli received a substantial fee for the use of his image rights.

Records

Throughout his illustrious career, Kohli achieved a wide variety of impressive records. Here are a few of the most impressive:

• Only player to twice win player of the tournament in the T20 World Up
• Fastest player to score 10,000 runs in one-day internationals
• Leading run scorer in T20I

Although Kohli is now at the tail end of his career, there's still a chance he can add some more records to the list.

Our net worths are for entertainment purposes only. We do our best to provide accurate figures, but we cannot guarantee their accuracy. The figures are based on public information and estimates, and may not reflect the true value of assets or liabilities.