MUMBAI: Indian captain MS Dhoni has topped Forbes list of highest earning cricketers with an estimated $26.5 million income in 2011, which is way ahead of batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar?s earnings of $18.6 million.

Dhoni, under whose captainship India won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, earned a whopping $23 million from nearly 25 brands that he endorses. Only a small portion of his earning, about $3.5 million, came from IPL and central contracts.
 
Tendulkar, who earned a total $16.5 million from endorsements, saw his earning?s shrink due to refusal to endorse a liquor brand and injuries which kept him out of a number of IPL matches and missing out completely on the Champions League games.

In a list dominated by Indians, the next three spots in the list are held by Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli and Virendra Sehwag who earned $7.3 million, $7.1 million and $6.9 million respectively.

The next four spots in the list are held by Australian cricketers with Shane Watson leading the pack at the sixth spot earning $5.9 million last year.
 
Watson is followed by Australian captain Michael Clarke ($4.9 million), Brett Lee ($4.8 million) and Ricky Ponting ($4.1 million), boosted by central contracts and endorsement deals besides healthy income from IPL and Big Bash League.

At the 10th spot is out of favour Yusuf Pathan with earnings of $3.7 million with cricket pay itself contributing $3.3 million.