MUMBAI: Apollo Tyres has replaced Dream11 as the lead sponsor of India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams in a three-year pact guesstimated to be worth Rs 579 crore, the richest jersey deal in the sport’s history.
Media reports state that the Gurugram-based company will pay the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI
) Rs 4.5 crore for each bilateral match and Rs 1.71 crore for ICC fixtures, covering 121 bilateral games and 20 global tournaments through March 2028. Dream11 had reportedly been paying Rs 4 crore per bilateral game.
The switch follows the government’s ban on real-money gaming platforms under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025, which ended Dream11’s contract and left the team without a shirt sponsor during the Asia Cup in Dubai.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia called the deal “a partnership between two institutions that have earned the trust and respect of millions.” Vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the intense bidding—from Canva, JK Cement and other suitors—proved the “strong market confidence in Team India’s global brand.”
Vinit Karnik from WPP Media had this to say on Linkedin: “Apollo Tyres stepping in as Team India’s lead sponsor marks more than a sponsorship—it underscores commitment to excellence on a global platform. Cricket is India’s cultural heartbeat, and this partnership reflects vision, scale, and legacy. At WPP Media, we are proud to stand alongside Apollo Tyres in this defining journey.”
The Apollo logo will now feature on all formats of Indian cricket, giving the tyre maker unprecedented global visibility and underlining cricket’s unmatched commercial clout.
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