Ajay Jadeja becomes India’s richest athlete, surpasses Virat Kohli

AHMEDABAD: Former Indian batter, Ajay Jadeja, became the heir to the royal throne in Gujarat, bringing his net worth to $175 million, the most for any Indian athlete.

Ajay Jadeja’s inheritance allowed him to surpass Virat Kohli, who has an estimated net worth of $120 million.

“Ajay taking up the responsibility of serving the people of Jamnagar is truly a boon for its people. I express my sincere gratitude to him,” wrote Maharaja Shatrusalyasinhji Digvijaysinhji Jadeja in a letter.

Ajay Jadeja, who has scored over 5000 runs in One Day Internationals (ODI) and over 8000 runs in first-class cricket, has a deep connection to the royal family. His father, Daulatsinhji Jadeja is the cousin of Shatrusalvasinhii and served as a member of parliament from Jamnagar.

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Shatrusalvasinhii is a former first-class cricketer himself, who played in 29 matches and scored over 1000 runs.  

Ajay’s other relatives showcase his family’s importance in cricket history. The Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy are named after two of his relatives, KS Ranjitsinhji and KS Duleepsinhji.

Ranjitsinhji has played over 300 matches of first class cricket, scoring nearly 25,000 runs, including 72 centuries. Duleepsinhji has played over 200 matches of first class cricket, scoring nearly 16,000 runs, including 50 centuries.

Ajay was a fantastic player, known for his charming nature off the field, but also had his fair share of controversies which resulted in lifetime ban by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2000.

The ban, which was for alleged match fixing, was later reduced to five years, before being overturned completely in 2003, with the Delhi High Court saying there was no proof he was guilty. However, he never returned to play international cricket.

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