Most Educated Indian Cricketers: Why Venkatesh Iyer Tops the List? Read Details

We all know about the massive fan following for stars like Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. While they are champions on the field, they aren't exactly toppers in academics. So, who is the most educated player in our team?

Image Credit : bcci

Who is the most educated Indian cricketer?

Many think cricketers get top government jobs like MS Dhoni's Army rank or Ishan Kishan's RBI post just through a sports quota. But some players are breaking the mould. Youngster Venkatesh Iyer is proving you can ace both the game and your studies, making him Team India's most educated player today.

Image Credit : Allu arjun

Do you know what Venkatesh Iyer has studied?

While cricket legends score big on the field, Venkatesh Iyer is hitting it out of the park in academics too. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Finance. Before this, he completed his MBA and even landed a job offer from the top firm 'Deloitte'. He chose cricket over the corporate world but didn't stop studying, having also cleared his Chartered Accountant (CA) Intermediate exam.

Image Credit : Getty

Iyer is a star in cricket too...

Venkatesh Iyer is one of the Indian Premier League's big earners. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) first bought him in 2021 for just his base price of Rs 20 lakh. After his stellar performance helped KKR reach the finals, the management gave him a massive raise. The very next year, his salary shot up to Rs 8 crore, a staggering 3,900% hike!

Image Credit : PTI

Do you know how much Iyer has earned from the IPL?

In the 2025 IPL mega auction, many teams vied for Venkatesh Iyer, and KKR retained him for a whopping Rs 23.75 crore. But before the 2026 season, KKR released him, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) snapped him up for just Rs 7 crore. To date, he has earned over Rs 55 crore from the IPL. He also played a key role in RCB's back-to-back championship wins, while consistently performing for his domestic team, Madhya Pradesh.

Image Credit : Facebook/Chennai Super Kings

These are the well-educated cricketers of Team India..

Venkatesh Iyer isn't the only one. Former cricketer Aavishkar Salvi holds a PhD in Astrophysics! Other well-educated players include legends like Anil Kumble, who is a Mechanical Engineer, and Javagal Srinath, who studied Instrumental Technology. Even Ravichandran Ashwin holds a B.Tech degree. It shows that many of today's cricketers are successfully balancing their education with the game.