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19 March 2024

Dhoni highest paid, heavily insured

Dhoni led India to victory in the World Cup on Saturday. (FILE)

Published
By Staff

World Cup winning Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not only the highest earning cricketer in the world, but also the most heavily insured player for the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament which begins on Friday.

An insurance firm official confirmed that the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain, who led them to victory in IPL 3, has been insured for Rs34 crore (approximated $7.7 million) by the Oriental Insurance Company, a rise of Rs 24 crore over his insurance cover for IPL 3, Times of India reported.
CSK has paid a premium of Rs 16 lakh, which includes travel risk cover, including medical emergencies, personal accident and loss of baggage.
Suresh Raina, retained by CSK, will get an insurance cover of Rs 20.5 crore.
Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who will play for Mukesh Ambani’s Mumbai Indians for the fourth consecutive season, has an insurance cover of only Rs12 crore.
Mahela Jayawardene, the skipper of Kochi Tuskers Kerala, has been insured for Rs 20.5 crore.
“He seems to be most highly insured overseas player for the tournament,” said a source, adding, “Speedster Dale Steyn from South Africa, who will be playing for Deccan Chargers, has been insured for Rs 16 crore.”
According to a source from the insurance industry, every insurance company and IPL team have a different methodology of finalising an insurance policy.
“For example, Ambani has decided to take comprehensive cover for his team, which includes event cancellation cover, workmen’s compensation, personal accident cover, medical cover and so on,” he said. “For this, he is likely to shell out a premium of around Rs 1.5 crore to the National Insurance Company.”
The cover will be active till the time the final is played on May 28. The policy can be invoked in the event of the death of a player or total disability, permanent partial disability or temporary total disability.
Incidentally, for the recently held ICC World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India bought a group personal accident policy from OIC. Each player can expect a financial benefit up to Rs2.3 crore under this policy.
Scheduling of IPL criticised
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has expressed concerned over the scheduling of the IPL sandwiching it between the World Cup and India’s tour of West Indies and England.
It has come in for criticism and Dhoni admitted that fatigue was a concern.
“It does affect the performance of players. The physical factor you can battle. Mentally and emotionally, you are drained. It will play a role,” said Dhoni.
The option to play an extra ‘keeper (Wriddhiman Saha) to allow Dhoni some rest has often been mooted, but the skipper said it was a tough call.
“You want to feature your best XI. To rest, I will have to field one more ‘keeper and that is difficult to see so. It is not about rest when you are playing professional cricket,” said Dhoni.
Akram hails Dhoni as the best Indian captain
 
After Sachin Tendulkar, former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram has also called Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the best Indian captain for his historical World Cup triumph at home.
A day after Tendulkar described Dhoni as the best captain he had played under during his 21-year-old international career, Akram also joined in the chorus and said the Ranchi player’s record was a testimony to the fact.
“Dhoni performed very well in the last four years. He has evolved as a leader, not just as a cricketer. In my opinion, if you see his records, he is definitely the best captain India ever had,” Akram was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
The 1992 World Cup-winning Pakistan fast bowler also congratulated the Indian team for their World Cup triumph on home soil, a first in the history of the showpiece event.
“I have been there as a World Cup winner. I know the feeling, the excitement and what it is to win the World Cup. Indians were the favourites to win the World Cup and they did it. I want to congratulate the Indian team for winning the World Cup and obviously the whole nation. Enjoy the success, you deserve it,” Akram said.