Top earning cricketer Dhoni may soon turn into an investor

Dhoni, named the world's top earning cricketer by Forbes, may soon pick up stake in event and celebrity management firm, Mindscapes Maestros, that is now managing endorsement accounts of celluloid star John Abraham and world's top ranking batsman Gautam Gambhir.

The move follows a strained relationship among the three promoters — Yudhajit Dutta, Pratik Sen and Ranadeb Paul — that could see one walking away from the firm soon. Dhoni is currently an advisor to Mindscapes Maestros.

"He (Dhoni) has no equity participation in the company right now, but we might consider stake in the company for him ... we are working on various options," Pratik Sen, one of the promoters of the firm, incorporated last year said.

Neither Sen gave any further details nor Dhoni, who is currently leading the Indian team at the tri-series in Sri Lanka, could not be contacted for comments.

As per Forbes rankings, Dhoni with USD 10 million in his kitty, leads the top earning cricketers list followed by Tendulkar at the second spot with earnings of USD 8 million in the list of 'The World's Top-Earning Cricketers'.


Sen said Dutta could exit from the company after the end of the Kolkata Fashion Week (KFW), being organised by the company, due to differences, but later ruled out the possibility.

Differences among the three promoters of the event management firm had led to last minute pullout of FMCG major Emami from sponsoring the KFW, ending Monday next.
"At the end of the Kolkata Fashion Week Yudhajit Dutta will be exiting the company due to creative differences," Sen said.

When contacted, Dutta, expressed surprise over the comment saying "How can I exit my own company? All three of us are working together at the Kolkata Fashion Week right now." Sen, however, insisted that the split is very much on the cards with him and Paul together holding 60 per cent stake in the company taking over the operations of the firm.