Top Cricketers Who Turned From Rich To Poor: Today, cricketers earn huge amounts thanks to leagues like the IPL, PSL, and Big Bash. Legends like Sachin Tendulkar, who famously owned a Ferrari, and MS Dhoni, with his collection of superbikes, are examples of cricketers living a lavish life. Virat Kohli is among the world’s highest-paid athletes, and Chris Gayle owns a mansion that is as luxurious as a five-star hotel.

However, in the past, retiring from cricket didn’t guarantee financial security. Some players faced poverty due to bad habits like gambling and match-fixing. Mismanagement of their earnings led a few to bankruptcy, showing how important financial planning is for athletes.

Here is a list of cricketers who went from being wealthy to facing financial difficulties:

Anshuman Gaekwad

Anshuman Gaekwad, a former Indian cricketer and head coach, contributed in many ways after his playing days. He represented India in 15 ODIs and 40 Tests and also served as a national selector. Notably, he was part of the 1983 World Cup-winning team.

After retiring, Gaekwad seemed to be doing well with steady work. However, life took a difficult turn when he was diagnosed with blood cancer and struggled to pay for his treatment in London. Seeing his hardship, former teammates Kapil Dev and Sandeep Patil urged the BCCI for help. The board responded, granting Rs one crore for his medical care. Sadly, on July 31, 2024, he passed away.

Vinod Kambli

Once seen as the next Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, a former left-handed batter, began his international cricket career with great promise. However, over time, his career slowed, leading to him losing his spot on the Indian team. Eventually, he disappeared from the international scene entirely.

Recently, a video showed Kambli struggling with health issues, highlighting the challenges former cricketers face in meeting daily needs. Today, Kambli’s life is a “riches to rags” story. He now relies on a BCCI monthly pension of about Rs 30,000, which is tough to live on in expensive Mumbai, especially given the rising cost of living.

Arshad Khan

Arshad Khan, a tall off-spin bowler from Pakistan, started his international cricket career in the 1997-98 series against the West Indies. He played nine Test matches and 58 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for Pakistan until 2006. Later, he also joined the Lahore Badshahs in the Indian Cricket League. Arshad’s best bowling performance came in 2005 when he took 4 wickets for 33 runs against India in Kochi.

According to the Khaleej Times, Arshad now lives in Sydney, Australia, and works as an Uber driver. This situation highlights the challenges many retired cricketers from countries like Pakistan face. Despite representing his country, Arshad is now struggling to earn a living abroad.

Adam Hollioake

Adam Hollioake, an Australia-born cricketer, was once a highly regarded all-rounder for the England cricket team and even briefly served as the team’s captain in ODIs. He is the elder brother of Ben Hollioake, who sadly passed away in a car accident in 2002. Adam played his last professional cricket match in 2007 before focusing on his family business in Australia. Unfortunately, his business faced difficulties during the 2008 recession, and by 2011, he was declared bankrupt.

After this setback, Hollioake turned to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to make a living and has done well in the field. Known for his resilience, his journey shows how life can take unexpected turns. From a successful cricket career to financial hardship and then to becoming an MMA fighter, Adam’s story is one of endurance and inspiration for others.

Matthew Sinclair

Matthew Sinclair is best known for scoring a double century in his debut Test for New Zealand—an impressive achievement. He moved from Australia to New Zealand with his mother after his father passed away when he was only four. Sinclair retired from international cricket in 2013, facing a period of unemployment. Financial struggles also affected his family life.

Not finishing his education made things harder for him. He is now working as a real estate salesperson in Napier, finding it difficult to make ends meet. Once celebrated in the New Zealand team for his outstanding debut performance, Sinclair opened in both ODIs and Tests with modest success. His story shows that success isn’t permanent and that having a backup plan for our careers is important.

Chris Cairns

Chris Cairns, a former New Zealand cricket all-rounder, was once seen as one of the best after Sir Richard Hadlee. Known for his hard-hitting batting and tricky slower balls, he also had a popular following thanks to his strong build and curly hair.

In 2010, he worked as a diamond merchant in Dubai. In 2012, he won a case against former ICL chairman Lalit Modi. But in 2013, his life changed with new match-fixing accusations. Legal costs pressured his family, leading him to clean bus shelters in New Zealand to manage finances.

Cairns scored nine international centuries and took around 420 wickets, contributing to New Zealand’s win in the 2000 ICC Knockout trophy.

Janardhan Navle

Many people may not know this man. He was India’s first-ever Test wicket-keeper, playing against England at Lord’s in 1932, which was also India’s first Test match. He played a couple of matches in this format for India.

Some reports say that he spent his last days as a beggar on the Bombay-Pune Highway. Other sources claim he worked as a watchman in a sugar mill in Pune. Sadly, someone who represented his country in its first Test match ended up living in such hardship before his death.