Kohli sole Indian in Forbes list of highest paid athletes

New York, June 8 : Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli is the sole sportsperson from the country to feature among the world’s 100 highest paid athletes in the latest Forbes list topped by soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo.
Kohli, 28, has been ranked 89th on the 2017 Forbes list of ‘The world’s highest paid athletes’ with a total pay of USD 22 million that includes USD 3 million from salary and winnings and another USD 19 million from endorsements.Describing Kohli as the “Indian cricket phenom”, Forbes said the sports star had “for good reason” already drawn comparisons to all-time great Sachin Tendulkar.
It said Kohli had continuously shattered batting records and in 2015 was named the captain of the Indian national team, making him one of the youngest players to ever hold the job.
It noted that last year Kohli made nearly USD 1 million in salary and match fees from his national team play, and he’s also among the Indian Premier League’s highest-paid players, thanks to a USD 2.3 million salary from the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
“The vast majority of his income, however, comes from one of the sports world’s most impressive sponsorships portfolios,” Forbes said.
The list has been topped by Ronaldo with a total pay of 93 million dollars. American basketball star LeBron James comes in at the second spot with USD 86.2 million, followed by Argentine footballer Lionel Messi (3) with 80 million, tennis star Roger Federer (4) with 64 million and American basketball player Kevin Durant.
However, in a troubling indication of gender inequality, the list of 100 has only one woman sports star. Forbes noted that the top 100 athletes are a boys’ club more than ever, with tennis star Serena Williams, who comes in at the 51 spot with USD 27 million, the lone female athlete to make the cut this year.