Meet India's Richest Cricketer Who Owns A ₹20,000 Crore Palace - And No, It's Not Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni Or Rohit Sharma
Samarjitsinh Gaekwad, a former first-class cricketer from Baroda, is India's richest cricketer—not Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, or Sachin Tendulkar. With a net worth exceeding ₹20,000 crore, Gaekwad belongs to the royal Gaekwad dynasty and owns assets like the ₹24,000 crore Laxmi Vilas Palace. He inherited temples, museums, and rare paintings after settling a massive family dispute. Despite playing only six domestic matches, he later became president of the Baroda Cricket Association. His palace also operates as a luxury banquet venue. Gaekwad's fortune far surpasses that of India's most famous cricket icons, making him a unique figure in the sport's landscape. https://zeenews.india.com/photos/sports/meet-india-s-richest-cricketer-who-samarjitsinh-gaekwad-owns-a-20000-crore-palace-and-no-it-s-not-virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-or-rohit-sharma-2896302 Updated:May 06, 2025, 07:56 AM IST 1. India's richest cricketer isn't Virat, Dhoni, or Sachin — it's Samarjitsinh Gaekwad
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With a jaw-dropping net worth of over ₹20,000 crore, Samarjitsinh Gaekwad, a former first-class cricketer and royal heir, outpaces all modern cricket icons in wealth. 2. Gaekwad's net worth is nearly 20 times that of Kohli and Dhoni
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Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni each have a net worth around ₹1,050 crore, making Samarjitsinh's financial empire almost 20x larger — a shocking disparity for cricket fans. 3. The Laxmi Vilas Palace alone is valued at ₹24,000 crore
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The Gaekwad family home, Laxmi Vilas Palace, is not just India's largest private residence — it's worth more than the combined net worths of India's top cricketers. 4. Kohli once rented Gaekwad's Mumbai property for ₹2.76 lakh/month
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Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma lived in one of Samarjitsinh's homes in Juhu, Mumbai, paying a staggering monthly rent, showcasing the cricketer-royal's real estate dominance. 5. Gaekwad played 6 first-class matches for Baroda in the late '80s
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Before his royal duties, Samarjitsinh had a brief stint in Indian domestic cricket, representing Baroda in the Ranji Trophy between 1987 and 1989. 6. He served as president of the Baroda Cricket Association
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As an administrator, Gaekwad helped shape Baroda cricket, a team known for stars like Hardik Pandya, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan. 7. Inherited assets include temples, museums, and Raja Ravi Varma paintings
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Following a ₹20,000 crore inheritance battle settlement, Gaekwad gained control of temples, priceless art, and 600+ acres of prime Baroda real estate. 8. He lives in India's largest private residence with his family
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Laxmi Vilas Palace spans over 500 acres and is still a functioning royal residence, setting it apart from heritage structures like Rashtrapati Bhavan. 9. Samarjitsinh also runs luxury banquets from his palace
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Under the Laxmi Vilas Banquets brand, he has transformed palace spaces into high-end event venues, merging royalty with modern entrepreneurship. 10. His wealth overshadows every Indian cricketing legend's fortune
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Even cricket's all-time greats like Sachin Tendulkar, with a net worth of ₹1,250 crore, pale in comparison to Gaekwad's royal fortune.
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