MS Dhoni sole Indian in Forbes list of world's richest athletes of the year

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

India’s ODI captain MS Dhoni has been named among Forbes magazine's 100 highest-paid athletes in the world, the only Indian sportsman on the list that has been topped again by American boxer Floyd Mayweather and includes golfer Tiger Woods, tennis star Roger Federer and football players Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the top 10. MS Dhoni has been ranked at 23rd place, dropping one spot below his 2014 rank of 22.

Dhoni’s total earnings for the year stood at USD 31 million, including salary/winnings worth USD 4 million and endorsements worth USD 27 million. The earnings figures include salaries, prize money and bonuses paid out between June 2014 and June 2015.

“He led India to the semifinal round of the 2015 Cricket World Cup before suffering a loss to eventual champion Australia, and in May the Chennai Super Kings went to the IPL Finals for the sixth time in his eight years as team captain,” Forbes said.

Mayweather retains the top spot this year with earnings of USD 300 million, more than double the previous high for an athlete – on the back of his ‘Fight of the Century’ triumph over Manny Pacquiao. This is the third time in four years that Mayweather was ranked as the world’s highest-paid athlete.

“Mayweather’s $300 million year shatters the record for athlete earnings, which was previously held by Tiger Woods who banked $115 million in 2008,” Forbes said.