Who is The Poor Cricketer in India - Top 10 Ranked

Cricket has given fame to many players in India, but not every player has been able to earn crores. Many names have sweated for the country, brought victory, and made the fans happy, yet today they are living in financial crisis. They do not have expensive brand contracts, nor could they establish a big business. The star that shines on the field sometimes fades outside the field. This reality is shocking and also forces one to think. Seeing the condition of the old players, the new generation cricketers should also learn a lesson that even if the career does not last long, how to save the accumulated capital. If one is not careful with their wealth, it doesn't take long to become a poor cricketer in India. This list is of 10 such former Indian cricketers whose estimated wealth is considered to be very low. Their stories tell us how difficult life can be after fame, as they now rank amongst the top 10 poor cricketers in India

Poorest Cricket Player in India - Updated List 2025

Who is the Poorest Indian Cricketer?

When we think of Indian cricketers, we imagine fame, luxury, and hefty paychecks. But not every player from the past enjoys financial security today. Many cricketers who served the country before the IPL boom and big endorsements now struggle to make ends meet and are considered to be amongst poor cricketer in India. One such name is Arun Lal, a gritty former opener who battled tough bowlers and later, jaw cancer. Despite working as a commentator and coach, medical bills drained his savings. Reports say his net worth is under Rs 1 crore, making him arguably one of the very poor cricketer in India. His story shows how vital better pension plans are. Let's take a detailed look at the full list.

10. Chetan Sharma

Every Indian cricket lover knows the name of Chetan Sharma. His conceding the historic last-ball six to Javed Miandad in Sharjah in 1986 is still fresh in people's memories. Chetan Sharma played 23 Tests and 65 ODIs for India. He was sharp in bowling, but injuries cut his career short. After retirement, Sharma continued to commentate and also became a selector, but his earnings were never linked to a big league like the IPL or advertisement. Therefore, his total assets are estimated to be between 10 crore. His financial condition was not as strong as that of a former national player should be. He is one of the very poor cricketer in India.

9. Dilip Vengsarkar

Dilip Vengsarkar is also known as 'Colonel'. He played 116 Tests and 129 ODIs and gave many memorable innings to Indian cricket. During his time, cricket players did not get the benefit of leagues like IPL or huge brand deals. He did open a cricket academy in Mumbai, but the earnings were limited. Vengsarkar did commentary and administrative roles, but not on a large scale. His estimated net worth is around Rs 9 crore, which is much less than today's stars. Still, he remains an inspiration for young cricketers. This is why his name falls in the list of the top 10 poor cricketers in India.

8. Venkatapathi Raju

Venkatapathi troubled batters with his left-arm spin in his time. He played 28 Tests and 53 ODIs. There was consistency in his game, but after retirement, his name disappeared from the headlines. Raju kept coaching in domestic cricket, but the fees for domestic coaching were never high. He did not get any major benefit from leagues like the IPL either. His total assets are estimated at 7-8 crore, making him another very poor cricketer in India. Sometimes, such situations of old players force us to think that the system should make better pension plans for them.

7. Nayan Mongia

Nayan Mongia is remembered in Indian cricket as a wicketkeeper-batsman. He played 44 Tests and 140 ODIs. His keeping was strong, but controversies affected his career. After retirement, Mongia was not in the limelight much. Neither did he get coaching in IPL, nor a big commentary contract. His earnings were limited to domestic coaching or a few media shows. Mongia's total assets are said to be between 6-7 crores, which makes him a poor cricketer in India.

6. Manoj Prabhakar

Manoj Prabhakar was once a reliable all-rounder of the Indian team. The career of this player, who played 39 Tests and 130 ODIs, ended after getting embroiled in a match-fixing controversy. The controversy not only tarnished his reputation but also shut down his future opportunities. Today, he sometimes does coaching or small TV shows, but his income has not remained stable like other former players. It is estimated that his wealth would be between Rs 5-7 crores.

5. Laxman Sivaramakrishnan

People also know Laxman Sivaramakrishnan as 'Siva'. This leg-spinner played nine Tests and 16 ODIs in the 1980s. He was extremely talented, but his career did not last long. After retirement, he did some commentary and coaching, but never joined a high-profile platform like the IPL. In such a situation, Laxman's total wealth is believed to be between Rs 4-5 crores. His situation shows that every talented player should get opportunities and platforms for a long time.

4. Pravin Amre

Pravin Amre's name definitely comes in the list of people with short careers in Indian cricket. In the 1990s, he played 11 Tests and 37 ODIs. His domestic record was better, but he did not get a stable place on the national team. In coaching, he worked with big IPL franchises like the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, but coaching fees are not like player contracts. Amre never got many advertisements either. His wealth is estimated to be between Rs 3-4 crores only.

3. Mohammad Azharuddin

Mohammad Azharuddin is counted among the most controversial names in Indian cricket. The former Indian captain, who played 99 Tests and 334 ODIs, was famous for his wrist magic. However, the match-fixing controversy tainted his career. He definitely tried his hand in politics and also did commentary, but big brands kept a distance. Legal battles also loosened his pockets. His estimated wealth is said to be between Rs 2-3 crores.

2. Vinod Kambli

Vinod Kambli's career was always in the news. Sachin Tendulkar's childhood friend Kambli played 17 Tests and 104 ODIs. His talent was amazing, but the problems outside the field cut his career short. After retirement, Kambli's income was never stable. His habit of drinking and disputes in his personal life took a toll on his financial condition. Expenses were met through coaching and occasional TV shows. His total assets are estimated to be between Rs 1-2 crores.

1. Arun Lal

If we talk about who is the poorest cricketer in India, Arun Lal's name crops up now. Lal, a gritty former Indian opener, gave his best to the national team in the 1980s but never earned big money. After retiring, he worked as a commentator and coach but faced massive medical expenses when he battled jaw cancer. Despite his contributions, he couldn’t build significant wealth. Reports suggest his net worth is now less than Rs 1 crore. This is why he is reportedly the poorest cricket player in India.

How We Analyse the Poor Cricketer in India - Major Facts

In this list, we have analysed multiple other factors when ranking the top 10 poorest cricketers in India. Aside from their net worth, we took into account several other factors to assess their financial standing. The approach had to be more technical since the list includes players of different generations. Keeping these factors in mind, the cricketers have been placed either at the top or the bottom of the list -

• Net Worth: The primary factor we took into account while ranking these players was their net worth. These include their life's overall earnings and the wealth they created by investing in properties and other assets.
• Opportunities: Most older players didn't have access to lucrative opportunities like new cricketers. There are several options to earn more money through modern franchise leagues, high-paying central contracts and brand endorsements.
• Alternate careers: After retirement, some cricketers also attempted to supplement their overall wealth through alternate ways. It includes opening cricket academies or participating in politics.
• Financial flow: The older generation of cricketers didn't have the luxury of enjoying a steady cash flow as cricketers do today. They mostly focused on their international careers, earning the most amount of money through the central contract. It lacked long-term financial security, as you would no longer be paid huge sums once your career was over.
• Financial drain: Some cricketers also suffered from personal issues and family-related expenses. Divorce settlements for some and lifestyle costs for others drained most of the wealth these superstars had accumulated in their careers.