India’s cricket team have named Apollo Tyres as their lead sponsor to replace fantasy sports platform Dream11, the country’s cricket board said yesterday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was forced to search for a new sponsor after Dream11, which signed a $44 million contract running through 2026, had to exit the deal following a ban on real-money online gaming last month, a Reuters report stated yesterday.

The BCCI did not reveal the value of the new contract, which runs until the end of March 2028, but said it “represents a substantial increase in sponsorship value”.

“We are excited about this being Apollo’s first major sponsorship in India cricket, which speaks volumes about the sport’s unparalleled reach and influence,” BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said in a statement.

“This is more than a commercial agreement; it’s a partnership between two institutions that have earned the trust and respect of millions,” he added.

Having the tyre-maker’s logo on the jerseys of the India men’s and women’s teams across all formats would be an honour for Apollo, the company’s Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Neeraj Kanwar said.

“Cricket’s unmatched popularity in India and worldwide makes it an honour for us to become the national team lead sponsor of Team India,” he added.

A PTI report from New Delhi added that the Indian cricket team is currently playing the Asia Cup in Dubai without a title sponsor.

“This marks Apollo Tyres’ first-ever foray into India cricket, a strategic move to align with a sport that resonates deeply with the nation. The new partnership, secured after a rigorous bidding process, represents a substantial increase in sponsorship value, signifying the immense and growing commercial appeal of Indian cricket,” the BCCI statement said.

The PTI report said that it was reliably learnt that the deal was valued at Rs 579 crore, higher than the Rs 358 crore agreement with Dream 11 for the same duration. The deal with the tyre major covers 121 bilateral games and 21 ICC games.

The BCCI had released the invitation for Express of Interest for the team’s lead sponsor rights earlier this month, confirming that there will be no shirt sponsor for the ongoing Asia Cup.  The Board had barred companies dealing in real money gaming, cryptocurrency, tobacco, and alcohol from the process.

The announcement on the new sponsorship deal comes ahead of the BCCI AGM on September 28 when fresh elections will be held.