India skipper Virat Kohli ahead of Messi as among the most valuable athletes

India captain Virat Kohli has shot past Barcelona star Lionel Messi in Forbes? list of the world?s most valuable athletes.

According to Forbes, the 28-year-old cricketer is ranked seventh in the list with a brand value of $14.5 million, which puts him ahead of Messi who is at ninth ($13.5 million), golfer Rory McIlroy and Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry.

Barca star Lionel Messi ranked at ninth 

Tennis great Roger Federer tops the list with a brand value of $37.2 million, followed by basketball star LeBron James ($33.4 million) and sprint champion Usain Bolt ($27 million).

Roger Federer tops the Forbes list of world's most valuable athletes 

Portugal and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo sits at fourth ($21.5 million), golfer Philip Mickelson ($19.6 million) at fifth and Tiger Woods ($16.6 million) at sixth.

The Forbes ?World's Most Valuable Sports Brands 2017? list assesses the ?brand value? of athletes by calculating their earnings ? excluding salary and bonus fees from their sport ? and all investment income.