SportPro's 50 Most Marketable Athletes list for 2026 has thrown up several notable rankings, with India's ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill emerging as the highest-ranked cricketer.
Gill has secured the 13th spot, placing him ahead of Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who is ranked 14th.
Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka leads the rankings, becoming the fourth woman and the third tennis player to top SportPro's list since its debut in 2010.
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American-born Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu occupies the second spot, followed by Greek basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, the only footballer in the top 10, and Spanish tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz complete the top five.
Ronaldo, who is now 41 years old and still remains one of the biggest names in world football. However, despite being the most-followed athlete on Instagram, he sits one place below Gill in the rankings.
The Indian ODI and Test captain has increasingly been viewed as a potential face of world cricket over the next decade.
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma And MS Dhoni Miss The top 50
While Gill has made the top 15, three of India's biggest cricket stars have missed out on the top 50. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni do not feature among the highest-ranked athletes in this year's list.
Among the three, Dhoni is the highest-ranked at 83rd, followed by Kohli at 85th. Rohit is placed 90th.
Only five cricketers have made the top 50 this year, including Gill. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is the second-highest-ranked cricketer at 26th, while Jemimah Rodrigues, a member of India's Women's World Cup-winning team, is placed 31st.
Women Make Up 16 Of The Top 50
Women athletes account for 16 places in this year's top 50, down from 20 in the previous edition. Despite the decline in representation, they occupy the top two positions, with Sabalenka leading the list and Gu in second place.
SportPro compiled the 2026 rankings using three main criteria: Brand Equity, Momentum and Commercial Trajectory. The list assesses athletes through these measures to determine their marketability and commercial appeal.
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