New York, Sep 6 (IANS) India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the richest international cricketer with an annual earning of $10 million, according to Forbes.

The Forbes said that Dhoni earns $8 million in endorsements, from the brands like Reebok, General Electric and Pepsi, and the rest from his cricket salary and fees. Among all Indian athletes and entertainers, Dhoni's total of 17 corporate sponsors is second only to Bollywood star and co-owner of the Knight Riders, Shah Rukh Khan.

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is in the second place in the list of The World's Top-Earning Cricketers. Tendulkar, known to fans as Little Master, is considered among the greatest batsman in cricket history.

Now in the twilight of his career, he's one of five Indian Premier League (IPL) players who have been bestowed 'icon' status, meaning he automatically receives a paycheck 15 percent larger than his highest paid teammate. Tendulkar's $1.1 million salary from the Mumbai Indians helped push his total earnings to $8 million over the last 12 months.

The Kings XI Punjab's captain and dashing left-handed batsman Yuvraj Singh is the third highest paid cricketer. He has earned just over $1 million from the team and another $4 million from endorsements, primarily from Reebok and Fiat.

-- IANS