The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have developed into some of the biggest brand in sport, transcending their sport of cricket. These have come through a combination factors but the most prominent of them, is the fact that they are all regarded as some of the greatest cricketers of their generation. However, they are not the richest cricketers in the world, or indeed, in the country.

That mantle goes to Aryaman Birla, son of billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla. In 2023, Aryaman was inducted into the Aditya Birla Group as director at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL). He is also director on the Boards of both Aditya Birla Management Corporation and Grasim Industries, and is widely regarded as the future of the conglomerate. Before getting into business though, Aryaman pursued a career in cricket and even has a first class century to his name.

Aryaman Birla's Ranji Trophy career

Born in July 1997 in Mumbai, Aryaman moved to Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, which is where the headquarters of the cement unit of the Aditya Birla Group is located. However, he had made the move to take part in the junior circuit in the state and eventually rise up the ranks. His first senior-level match came in the Ranji Trophy for MP against Odisha in November 2017. Aryaman shared a 72-run opening partnership in his very first innings Rajat Patidar, who scored 123. However, he himself managed scores of 16 off 67 balls and six off 27 in that match.

He made a mark almost exactly a year later though at the Eden Gardens against Bengal. Manoj Tiwary's unbeaten double century had helped Bengal declare at 510/9. The hosts enforced a follow on after MP were all out for 335 and Birla ground his way to an unbeaten 103 off 189 balls force a draw.

Birla had said at the time that he had started feeling more comfortable as a cricketer as people were recognising him for his skills and not his surname. "Performances are the best way of earning trust and respect, so when I started scoring runs, people started seeing me in a different light," he had told ESPNcricinfo. "When I first came to MP, I was known more by my last name. I kept hearing 'Birla's son, Birla's grandson.' But through my performances, I changed perceptions, they started seeing me differently.

"That's been my biggest achievement so far. Recently someone came and asked me 'you're so seedha saadha (simple and straightforward), we didn't even know you're from the Birla family.' That to me was a sign of change."

IPL and 'indefinite sabbatical'

His performances on both sides of that innings made enough of a wave to fetch Birla an IPL contract with the Rajasthan Royals at the 2018 auction. He was with the side for two seasons but never managed to break into the first team. Injuries then came in and Birla ended up not being able to play at all after January 2019. RR eventually released him in November that year. In December 2019, Birla announced an "indefinite sabbatical from cricket".

"I've felt trapped. I've pushed myself through all the distress so far, but now I feel the need to put my mental health and wellbeing above all else," he wrote on Instagram. "We all have our own journeys and I want to take this time to understand myself better, open my mind to new and varied perspectives and seek purpose in my findings." Birla then entered his family's business and has enjoyed success since. While his net worth isn't publicly available, it is estimated to be around INR 70,000 crore.

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