Take names of the most stylish and elegant batsmen in cricket and few Indians will omit KL Rahul from their list. The man from Bangalore is an epitome of class and languid ability and has been a consistent presence with his profile rapidly growing within the Indian cricket team as well as in the IPL over the years.
Off-the-field, he is a symbol of the modern Indian cricketer. The full sleeve tattoos, perfectly-shaped beard and the almost stenciled hair that seems untouched even while facing the best bowlers on the planet add to his persona and mark him as one of the most recognizable personalities in Indian cricket.
KL RAHUL FACTFILE Full Name Kannur Lokesh Rahul Date of Birth April 18, 1992 Birthplace Bengaluru Nickname KL Height 5’ 11” (180 cm) Weight 70 kg Teams Represented India, Lucknow Super Giants, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Karnataka, South Zone, Bangalore Brigadiers, India A, Hubli Tigers, Bellary Tuskers Net Worth ₹101 crore (US$12 million) Earnings/year ₹23 crore Spouse Athiya Shetty (m.2023)
And the 32-year-old’s batting is just a reflection of his personality, relaxed, refined and rarely fazed. As a result, Rahul’s popularity has made him not just sought-after as a cricketer but also a commercial figure. Over his career, Rahul has also involved himself in activities off-the-pitch which have boosted his profile, commercial viability and added more charisma to his on-field heroics.
Today, the Bengaluru man is among the highest earning and richest Indian cricketers with a net worth of more than ₹100 crore. So let’s take a look at how the 32-year-old has built his financial wealth and commercial profile. But first, some number crunching.
KL RAHUL: CAREER IN NUMBERS
Making your test debut at the age of 22 against the mighty Australian team at the Sydney Cricket Ground can be a daunting prospect for anyone. But Rahul proved his mettle by notching a century in only his second test match in 2014.
He then followed it up by becoming the first and only Indian to score a hundred on ODI debut in 2016. That same year, Rahul became only the third Indian player (after Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma) to score a hundred in all three formats of the game when he scored a blistering 110* against the West Indies, marking himself as one for the future. Format Matches Innings Runs Avg 50s 100s Highest Catches Stumpings Test 50 86 2,863 34.08 14 8 199 62 – ODI 75 70 2,820 50.36 18 7 112 62 5 T20I 72 68 2,265 37.75 22 2 110* 23 1 IPL 132 123 4,683 45.47 37 4 132* 76 7 FC 93 158 6,760 44.18 32 18 337 102 – List A 127 122 4,830 46.89 31 11 131 100 9
Since then, Rahul has been a key cog in India’s wheel with his ability to play in a multitude of batting positions and slot in as a wicketkeeper making him a vital option. Rahul is also one of a handful of batsmen who have the capability to dictate the tempo of an innings with his all-round game capable of gritty batting and expansive aggression. Add to it his captaincy credentials for the Indian team and in the IPL and Rahul’s utility increases manifold.
Despite a few injuries, Rahul has featured consistently, playing more than 50 games across all formats for India and notching up 17 centuries in international cricket (behind only Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the current Indian setup) showcasing his longevity, versatility and consistency at the top level.
Rahul’s IPL stats adds even more gloss to his career. The Karnataka batsman evolved into one of the league’s best players during his time at his home team of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (reaching a final in 2016) before moving to the Punjab Kings and then the Lucknow Super Giants where his captaincy and consistency with the bat touched new heights, with Rahul winning the Orange Cap (awarded to the batsman with the most runs in a season) in 2020 before leading the Super Giants to the playoffs in their first two seasons in existence.
Still 32 and with a few years left in him, expect Rahul’s numbers and feats on a cricket pitch to only reach new heights in the coming years, with his IPL feats and his importance to the Indian team not set to diminish any time soon.
His importance for franchise and country has also drawn him into the big money league as Rahul is one of the top earners in Indian cricket, with his earnings only increasing each year like his impressive numbers on the cricket field.
DRAWING THE BIG BUCKS: KL RAHUL’S SALARY
KL Rahul’s all-round ability makes him an important part of the Indian team’s plans and therefore he is one of the highest earners.
Rahul has an A-grade contract with the BCCI which pays him an annual salary of ₹5 crore per year along with a match fee of ₹15 lakh per Test, ₹6 lakh per ODI and ₹3 lakh per T20I.
Rahul though makes the majority of his on-field earnings from his IPL contract. The Lucknow Super Giants captain is among the highest earners in the cash-rich league, being paid ₹17 crore for his services. As a result, his cumulative salary comes to ₹22-23 crore for his on-field efforts. But Rahul’s not done with only with his on-field efforts but is also an active presence off it.
ENDORSEMENTS
KL Rahul is also an active presence in endorsements with the 32-year-old adding more to a growing list of brand associations in his portfolio.
The LSG skipper endorses brands such as
Puma
Gully
Cure.fit
Zenovit
NUMI
Boat
BharatPe
Realme
Beardo
Red Bull
Reserve Bank of India
It is reported that Rahul charges more than ₹10 lakh for each endorsement with the value of his endorsements set to increase in the coming years. With Rahul’s personality and his marketability increasing consistently, the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman is set to add more endorsements and investments to the list.
FAMILY, SOCIAL MEDIA AND POPULARITY
KL Rahul got married to actress, influencer and model Athiya Shetty, the daughter of veteran Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty in a private ceremony in 2023. The duo were in a courtship for four years before deciding to make their union permanent.
Rahul came from a family of academics and therefore recollects in zest how his mother still isn’t satisfied with his academic credentials despite becoming one of the most popular names in Indian cricket. He also told in an interview that his father named him Rahul, thinking that it was the name of the son of his favourite cricketer Sunil Gavaskar (turned out to be Rohan Gavaskar, professors have their off days too).
His high profile marriage to Athiya added to his viability with the duo appearing in plenty of endorsement comemricals later, but is just a part of his overall prominence in pop culture. The Indian batsman has garnered a sizeable social media presence across all major platforms.
Instagram – 20.4 million followers
Twitter/X – 8.7 million followers
Facebook – 10 million followers
The cricketer also has a pet dog named Simba, a Chowchow, and his love for his cute furball knows no bounds. So much so that Simba has his own Instagram account, amassing more than 14,000 followers. In 2016-17, Rahul used to post pictures and reels of his pet in its element showcasing the deep love and bonding between the man and man’s best friend.
LIVING THE GOOD LIFE: HOUSES, CARS AND OTHER COLLECTIONS
Rahul has not only showcased his quality with the bat and gloves or in a shooting spot, but he’s also invested in living a good life. He has invested in plush properties in his hometown of Bengaluru and Goa. It is reported that Rahul’s luxurious apartment in Bengaluru costs nearly ₹65 lacs, while he purchased a sprawling 7,000 sq. ft. villa, named Villa Milana, in Goa. He was also gifted a ₹50 crore-worth luxury apartment in Mumbai by Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, upon his marriage to his daughter, Athiya Shetty in 2023.
CARS
Like many of his cricketing peers, a key part of Rahul’s novelty collections is his enviable range of cars. The 32-year-old showcases a rich taste for the throttle and his love for luxury.
Some of the major cars that Rahul owns include:
- Lamborghini Huracan Spyder – ₹3.82 crore
- Aston Martin DB11 – ₹3.54 crore
- Audi R8 – ₹2.5 crore
- Land Rover Defender 110 – ₹1.66 crore
- BMW X5 – ₹1.03 crore
- Mercedes C43 – ₹98.25 lakh
- Range Rover Velar – ₹87.90 lakh
The 32-year old’s appetite was further satiated as he was gifted a BMW car worth ₹2.17 crore by fellow teammate Virat Kohli and a ₹1.64 crore-worth Audi car by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan for his marriage to Athiya while also receiving a brand new Kawasaki Ninja sports bike (that costs ₹80 lakh) by former teammate MS Dhoni.
WATCHES
Rahul is also a connoisseur when it comes to watches, owning some sparking timepieces in his collection. A look at the enviable collection of the 32-year-old shows his refined taste in luxury and elegance making him a horologist’s delight.
- Rolex 18-Carat Gold Sky-Dweller – ₹38 lakh
- Patek Philippe Nautilus 57121/A – ₹37.5 lakh
- Rolex Cosmograph Daytona – ₹27 lakh
- Rolex Datejust Oyster Yellow Gold – ₹21 lakh
- Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Stainless Steel – ₹19 lakh
- Hublot Classic Fusion Ceramic King Gold – ₹7 lakh
- Panerai Radiomir 1940 – ₹5.45 lakh
Some of the pieces mentioned above do not come in retail pieces which shows how much of a collector KL Rahul is. Like the gifts mentioned above, he was further gifted a luxurious Chopard watch (a Swiss luxury brand) worth ₹30 lacs by Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff for his marriage.
