Apollo Tyres Steps In as Team India’s New Sponsor, Ousting Dream11 in Lucrative Deal

Apollo Tyres has entered into a two-and-a-half-year sponsorship agreement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to become the Indian cricket team’s sponsor. This new partnership sees Apollo Tyres replace Dream11, emerging victorious in a three-way competition against Canva and JK Cement, with a substantial bid of ₹579 crore. This implies a cost of approximately ₹4.77 crore per game.

In contrast, for International Cricket Council (ICC) and other multinational events, the sponsorship value is expected to be around ₹1.72 crore per match. The BCCI announced that the Apollo Tyres logo will be prominently displayed on the Indian men’s and women’s national team jerseys across all formats until March 2028. This agreement covers a total of 121 bilateral games and approximately 21 ICC matches.

Neeraj Kanwar, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Apollo Tyres Limited, expressed his excitement about the partnership, citing cricket’s immense popularity and the opportunity to enhance national pride, consumer trust, and Apollo’s leadership position. He also highlighted the company’s commitment to supporting Indian sport at the highest level and creating memorable moments for cricket fans globally.

The need for a new sponsor arose when Dream11, the previous title sponsor, withdrew from the agreement due to the passage of a law by India’s Parliament that criminalized real-money-based online games. Dream11, a major player in the sports industry with interests in sports tourism and online streaming, was the team’s lead sponsor in recent years. Their sudden exit left the Indian team without a jersey sponsor for the ongoing Asia Cup in the UAE.

According to sources, the new sponsors’ first international exposure will occur during the home Test series against the West Indies starting October 2, followed by an away white-ball series in Australia. Additionally, a UP-based company and a Middle Eastern company were reported to have shown interest by purchasing the ITT document but did not participate in the bidding held in Mumbai.

Published on September 16, 2025.