Shubman Gill has ranked ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in SportsPro’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes of 2026 list.
The Indian cricketer is placed 13th, while Cristiano Ronaldo sits at 14th. Despite, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni have all missed out on the top 50.
Gill is the highest ranked cricketer on the list, which features athletes from 70 sports. Rishabh Pant is the next Indian cricketer on the rankings at 26th, while Jemimah Rodrigues, part of India’s Women’s World Cup winning team, is placed 31st.
Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni are all outside the top 50. Dhoni is ranked 83rd, followed by Kohli at 85th and Rohit at 90th. Their absence from the top 50 comes as Gill continues to build his profile as one of India’s leading cricketers.
Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka tops the 2026 rankings, followed by freestyle skier Eileen Gu and basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is fourth, while Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz completes the top five. Ronaldo is the only other footballer mentioned in the top 15 alongside Haaland.
SportsPro’s rankings assess athletes on three factors Brand Equity, Momentum and Commercial Trajectory. According to the report, the 2026 edition considered 1,202 athletes across 70 sports, with the final rankings based on data collected between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026.
Only five cricketers made the top 50 this year, with Gill leading the group ahead of Pant and Rodrigues.
