Virat Kohli top taxpayer among sports stars; Sachin, MS Dhoni follow

Cricketer Virat Kohli was the top taxpayer among Indian sports personalities for the previous financial year, which concluded on March 31, 2024 (FY24). According to data shared by Fortune India magazine, Kohli paid Rs 66 crore in taxes for the financial year.

Kohli ranked fifth among all celebrities, with actor Shah Rukh Khan leading the list. Khan, who is also a co-owner of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, paid a staggering Rs 92 crore in taxes. Following him were Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, who were the third and fourth-highest celebrity taxpayers, respectively.

'Captain Cool' MS Dhoni, now retired from international cricket and seen only in the IPL, was the second-highest taxpayer among cricketers. The iconic wicketkeeper-batsman, who remains popular and has numerous endorsement deals, paid Rs 38 crore in taxes for FY24.

Legendary cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly also featured in the rankings. Despite having retired long ago, Tendulkar and Ganguly were the third and fourth highest taxpayers among sportsmen, paying Rs 28 crore and Rs 23 crore, respectively.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant also made the list, coming in at fifth and sixth. The all-rounder paid Rs 13 crore in taxes, while Pant, the wicketkeeper-batsman, contributed Rs 10 crore.

Here’s a breakdown of the top taxpaying cricketers:

• Virat Kohli – Rs 66 crore
• Mahendra Singh Dhoni – Rs 38 crore
• Sachin Tendulkar – Rs 28 crore
• Sourav Ganguly – Rs 23 crore
• Hardik Pandya – Rs 13 crore
• Rishabh Pant – Rs 10 crore

When is the Indian cricket team returning to action?

It has been some time since the Indian cricket team last played, but the wait is nearly over. India will host Bangladesh for a two-match Test series, starting on September 19 in Chennai. The sides will also face off in a three-match T20I series in October.

Led by Rohit Sharma, India will be eager to rebound after their 0-2 loss in an ODI series in Sri Lanka last month. Bangladesh, on the other hand, came into the series full of confidence after a historic 2-0 Test series victory in Pakistan.