Virat Kohli Instagram's Top Earner From India, ranked 14th in list ahead of Neymar, Mbappe

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Virat Kohli charges a whopping Rs 11.46 crore (approx) for every sponsored post on his Instagram handle which has 256 million followers, a report by Hopper HQ has revealed.

The former Indian cricket team captain is ranked 14th on the list of top Instagram earner's in 2023. The 34-year-old superstar batter is ahead of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe who are occupying the 19th and 27th spots respectively.

Other major celebrities who are behind Kohli are rapper and singer Nicki Minaj, American popstar Miley Cyrus, rapper Cardi B and Dua Lipa. The only other Indian in the top hundred is Priyanka Chopra who is ranking 29th. AB de Villiers is only the second cricketer in the list. The South Africa and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) legend is sitting on the 76th spot. Chopra and De Villiers charges Rs 4.40 crore and Rs 1 crore (approx) per sponsored post.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his arch-rival Lionel Messi are leading the list. According to Hopper HQ, Ronaldo charged a whopping sum of USD 3.23 million which roughly translates to INR 26.75 crore. FIFA World Cup-winning captain Messi, on the other hand, charged USD 2.56 million per Instagram post, which translates to INR 21.49 crore per post.

Mike Bandar, Hopper HQ's co-founder, was quite surprised to see how the global superstars' earnings have soared over the years on Instagram. He also highlighted how sporting superstars' influence extends beyond the field.

"It's still shocking to me that the annual money made on the platform increases every year," Bandar said. "Yet, what fascinates me more is the consistent players at the top.

"It's apparent that the glitz and glamour of traditional celebrities still holds power over the new 'influencer' status. Ronaldo and Messi not only dominate the pitch, but also the digital sphere as it's clear they personify the power of personal branding and the influence it holds over us 'ordinary' people."