A decision that had been on the cards for a few weeks is finally over the line. Apollo Tyres will appear on the front of the India men’s and women’s shirts until 2026, replacing Dream11, which pulled out after the recent clamp-down on real-money gaming in the country.
“The deal has been signed with Apollo Tyres. We will announce it soon,” a senior BCCI official told PTI. The same official confirmed that the agreement, covering 121 bilateral fixtures and 21 ICC tournament matches, is worth roughly ₹579 crore.
Dream11’s exit was forced by the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, passed in August. The legislation bans real-money gaming, the bedrock of Dream11’s business, so the company had little choice but to walk away from its US$44-million (about ₹358-crore) contract that was due to run until 2026.
That left both national sides briefly without a sponsor – the men through the Asia Cup in the UAE, the women during their One-Day series at home to Australia. The shirts were spotless, the bank balance rather less so. On 2 September the board issued an invitation for expressions of interest; bids closed on the 16th.
As in previous tenders, the BCCI made it clear that certain sectors were unwelcome. In the board’s words, brands linked to alcohol, betting, cryptocurrency, online money gaming, tobacco or anything likely to “offend public morals such as, including but not limited to, pornography” were barred from applying. Apollo Tyres – a long-standing presence in Indian sport through football and kabaddi – ticked the right boxes and, crucially, could meet the price.
The sponsorship is unlikely to change the team on the field, yet it brings a welcome degree of stability off it. Another commercial gap is filled, and the players can go back to worrying only about runs, wickets and, occasionally, rain.
