Social media has transformed modern cricket and turned the game’s leading players into global digital icons whose reach extends far beyond the boundary ropes and stadium walls. Platforms like Instagram, X and Facebook have given fans a direct window into the lives of their favourite players and cricketers have used them wisely.

In 2026, a cricketer’s follower count has become a strong, honest indicator of their global popularity, their brand value and their influence in the world outside of cricket. This updated list highlights the ten most followed cricketers on the planet, based primarily on their Instagram presence, which remains the most transparent, measurable platform available today.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli Is the most followed cricketer in the world and there is no competition for this. As of 2026, he has around 274 million followers on Instagram and this number places him among the most followed athletes on the planet across all sports. His content is a true reflection of the athlete as it includes his training sessions, his family moments, his match updates and his brand collaborations.

His follower count is five times higher than most other cricketers in the world. He did not reach this number by luck. He earned it through years of excellence and a relentless presence that people cannot ignore.

Sachin Tendulkar

He has around 51.4 million followers on Instagram and is the most followed retired cricketer in the world. The game stopped for him years ago, but people never stopped watching him. His posts include cricketing memories, social work, brand endorsements and each of them finds a huge and dedicated audience.

His digital presence is not fake. It is a natural extension of the legacy created by the game over decades. He remains as relevant in the digital world as he was on the field and is the true measure of a player’s greatness.

MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni has around 49.7 million followers on Instagram and has achieved this feat despite being less active online than most of the players on this list. His loyal fan base remains active even during quiet periods and when the IPL season starts, their numbers increase with sudden and intense energy.

He is one of the most followed wicketkeeper-captains in the history of cricket and his social media silence only adds to the mystery that his followers always find fascinating. He doesn’t need to say more. He has never done this.

Recommended to Read: Top 10 Footballers With Most Followers In Social Media (2026)

Rohit Sharma

Rohit has nearly 46 million followers on Instagram and his account is a mix of cricket updates, family life and the kind of lifestyle his audience has come to expect. His leadership roles with the national team have significantly increased his digital popularity and he is now firmly positioned among the top active international cricketers in the online world. He bats with quiet authority and it is a calmness that he conveys to the millions who follow his every move.

Hardik Pandya

He has around 45.3 million followers on Instagram and he maintains this number through constant activity and a style that is completely his own. His posts are driven by lifestyle, fashion and brand partnerships that reflect a personality that cannot be contained within the confines of cricket. He consistently ranks in the top five cricketers in the world by number of followers and his engagement remains high because he gives people something vivid, real to see with every post he makes.

AB de Villiers

He has around 29.1 million followers on Instagram and is the most followed South African cricketer in the world. He has retired from the game but his popularity has not waned. His years in the IPL have built a global fan base that has proven extraordinarily loyal and his numbers in the years since his last professional match are testament to the impact a truly exceptional player can have on those who watch him play.

Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina has around 27.1 million followers on Instagram and his support base is strong and consistent, especially among Chennai Super Kings fans, who have never forgotten what he gave them. His account includes cricketing memories, personal life updates and the warmth of a player who plays the game with all his heart. He is one of the top retired Indian cricketers in the online world and the statistics tell you that fans have not forgotten the player who gave so much of himself on the field.

KL Rahul

He has nearly 24 million followers on Instagram and his content speaks directly to today’s post-sports generation. His account mixes fitness routines, fashion and match moments in a way that appeals to an audience looking to see the full picture of the modern professional cricketer. His following has steadily increased in recent seasons and continues to grow as his career moves towards its full potential.

Jasprit Bumrah

He has around 22.4 million followers on Instagram and is one of the most followed fast bowlers in the world. His social presence is focused, professional and cricket-centric which shows how serious he is about his craft. His numbers increase significantly during ICC tournaments as a global audience flocks to watch the best fast bowler of his generation do what he does better than anyone else on the planet.

Shikhar Dhawan

He has nearly 19.8 million followers on Instagram and he has achieved all this through an engaging personality that has always been impossible to resist. He is known for his entertaining reels, energetic content and a kind of infectious joy that makes the player easy to follow, hard to ignore. He is one of the most followed Indian openers in the digital world and his online presence carries the same bright, fearless energy that he always brought to the top of the batting order.

Read More: How to Get More Views On Sports YouTube Shorts [Top 10 Tips]

Conclusion

The statistics on the screen don’t tell the whole story of a player, but they tell a part of it and the part they tell in 2026 is important. These ten cricketers have built fellowship across every continent and every time zone and they have done so by giving the world something worth watching. The game has always produced talented players but the digital age has revealed which of them have captured something deeply in the public imagination. They played well and the world caught their attention and then the world kept watching long after the last ball was bowled.