New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) Apollo Tyres has been locked in as the new jersey sponsor for the Indian cricket team for a period of two and a half years following the exit of online gaming platform Dream 11, the BCCI announced on Tuesday.

The BCCI was left without a shirt sponsor for the team after the government banned real money gaming platforms including Dream 11 under a new legislation.

The team is currently playing the Asia Cup in Dubai without a title sponsor.

“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced a landmark partnership with Apollo Tyres, a leader in the global tyre industry, as the new lead Sponsor of Team India,” said the BCCI in a statement.

“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.” It is reliably learnt that the deal, that will run through March 2028, is 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 agreement spans two and a half years concluding in March 2028. Under the terms of the deal, the Apollo Tyres logo will be featured on the jerseys of the Indian men’s and women’s national teams across all formats. This partnership succeeds the previous sponsorship held by Dream11,” added the BCCI.

Dream 11 shut down its real money games due to the ‘Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025’, which states that “no person shall offer any, aid, abet, induce, indulge, engage in offering online money gaming services nor shall involve in any advertisement which directly or indirectly promotes any person to play any online money game”.

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.

Apollo Tyres is a multinational company headquartered in Gurugram. The tyre maker has manufacturing units in India and abroad, including Europe.

The announcement also comes ahead of the BCCI AGM on September 28 when fresh election will be held.

“This is more than a commercial agreement; it’s a partnership between two institutions that have earned the trust and respect of millions,” said BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia. PTI

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)