Virat Kholi's bat earns Rs 2 crore, more than MS Dhoni's

New Delhi: T20 cricket captain M S Dhoni is one of the highest paid brand endorsers in the country. But when it comes to the pitch endorsement red hot Virat Kholi commands a higher prize.

Dhoni gets around Rs 6 crore to put a Spartan sticker on his bat, Test captain Kholi, who uses an MRF bat, gets around Rs 8 crore for the same, sources said. The Delhi batter also gets paid around Rs 2 crore for endorsing apparel and shoes on the pitch. When it comes to off-field brand endorsements such as TV ads, Dhoni surges ahead with Rs 8 crore while Kohli pockets around Rs 5 crore."Dhoni, Yuvraj and Kohli are the players who can get merchandise to move off the shelves," said the CEO of a large sportswear firm.

"Indian players are paid much more than their foreign counterparts because cricket is the most followed sport in the country," said a senior executive with a large sport marketing firm. "However, international stars such as AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle who have a large fan following here, demand big money too."