Do You Know How Much Virat Kohli Charges For One Instagram Post?

Indian cricketer Virat Kohli and his brother Vikas Kohli's Instagram accounts were briefly not visible late Thursday night, triggering concern among fans on social media. The accounts, however, were restored within a few hours on Friday, easing speculation around a possible hack or suspension.

As discussions around Virat Kohli's Instagram presence gained momentum, many users revisited a long-standing question - how much does the former India captain actually earn from a single Instagram post?

Did Virat Kohli earn Rs 11.45 crore per Instagram post?

Back in 2023, Virat Kohli had publicly dismissed reports claiming he earned Rs 11.45 crore for every sponsored Instagram post. The speculation arose after a report by Hopper HQ, a UK-based social media marketing platform, went viral.

Hopper HQ's annual Instagram Rich List had placed Kohli at 14th position globally, claiming he earned $1,384,000 (approximately Rs 11.45 crore) per sponsored post. However, Kohli was quick to deny the figure.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on August 12, 2023, Kohli wrote:

"While I am grateful and indebted to all that I've received in life, the news that has been making rounds about my social media earnings is not true."

His statement directly refuted the amount quoted in the report.

Global comparison: Ronaldo, Messi lead Instagram earnings

According to Hopper HQ, football star Cristiano Ronaldo topped the list with reported earnings of $3.23 million (around Rs 26.8 crore) per post, followed by Lionel Messi at $2.59 million (roughly Rs 21 crore).

Kohli was the only Indian celebrity featured in the top 25 global Instagram earners - a distinction that mirrors his appearance as the sole Indian on Forbes' 2020 list of the world's highest-paid athletes.

Brand value remains strong

While Virat Kohli has denied the specific figure associated with his Instagram earnings, his brand value remains among the strongest in Indian sport. His endorsement portfolio includes major brands such as Puma, HSBC, Vivo India, O'cean Beverages, and several others.

Importantly, Kohli's clarification was limited to social media income and did not address his overall endorsement or sponsorship earnings.