Meet the billionaire cricketer whose wealth outshines Tendulkar, Kohli, and Dhoni

(L-R) Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli (Pic: AFP)

While names like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni are often synonymous with cricketing fortune, none of them hold the title of the richest cricketer in India. That distinction belongs to Aryaman Birla, a name that may not be as familiar in the cricketing world, but one that eclipses even the wealthiest cricketers globally.

Aryaman, the son of renowned industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, was born into one of India's wealthiest families. Unlike his famous cricketing counterparts, Aryaman's cricket career was brief but marked with a strong passion for the sport.

He represented Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, showcasing his talent with a string of impressive performances. His cricketing abilities caught the attention of the IPL, and in 2018, he was picked up by the Rajasthan Royals franchise.

That same year, Aryaman was honoured by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for being the leading run-scorer for Madhya Pradesh. He scored four centuries in the CK Nayudu Trophy and accumulated 795 runs from six matches, averaging a solid 79.50.

However, despite this promising start, Aryaman's cricketing journey was short-lived. After a handful of appearances, he decided to walk away from the sport and focus on his family's business empire - the Aditya Birla Group. With an estimated net worth of around INR 70,000 crore, Aryaman is wealthier than any cricketer, past or present, in the world.

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In addition to his business career, Aryaman's time in the IPL proved to be uneventful in terms of on-field success. Though he was retained by Rajasthan Royals for two seasons, he never made it to the playing XI. In 2019, the franchise decided to release him, marking the end of his IPL tenure. Despite this, his wealth and position within the Aditya Birla Group continue to keep him in the public eye, but for reasons far beyond cricket.

In December 2019, Aryaman made a significant announcement that further distanced him from the cricketing world. He revealed that he was taking an indefinite sabbatical from cricket due to severe anxiety. In an interview with Femina, he opened up about his struggles and the decision to prioritise his mental health.

"We're all on our individual journeys; we all have our own proverbial mountains to climb. I was dealing with anxiety issues and mental struggles regarding my game. Over time, I realised that I needed to put my mental well-being above everything else. I wanted to take time to understand myself better, open my mind to new perspectives, and see where life took me. It was important for me to put myself out there and get things off my chest. It made me feel better and also helped in some way to start a conversation on mental health in sports," Aryaman shared.