The symbiosis of BCCI and Dream11 has come to an end. Dream11 has withdrawn from its ₹358 crore jersey sponsorship deal with the Board of Control for Cricket
in India (BCCI), leaving the national team without a sponsor just weeks before the Asia Cup in Dubai.
The development comes shortly after Parliament passed legislation banning real-money online gaming, a sector in which Dream11 is a leading player.
According to reports, Dream11 representatives recently met BCCI CEO Hemang Amin and confirmed that the company would not be able to continue its sponsorship commitments. As a result, the BCCI is now preparing to issue a fresh tender to find a replacement sponsor ahead of the Asia Cup.
"BCCI and Dream 11 are discontinuing their relationship after the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, was passed. BCCI will ensure not to indulge with any such organisations ahead in future," BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia was quoted as saying by ANI on Monday as well.
As the chapter ends here, it elicits the series of the serial demise of yet another organization after its sponsorship with the Indian team.
Three major companies- Sahara, Byju's, and now Dream11 - each once paraded their names across the Indian cricket team's jersey. Yet for each of these giants, that tryst with sporting stardom ended in unceremonious fashion.
Sahara: From White Knights to Red Flags
Sahara India debuted as the national team's shirt sponsor in 2001 and, for over a decade, was synonymous with Indian cricket's golden era. Sadly, this goodwill couldn't shield them from the regulatory bouncers hurled by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) due to dubious fund-raising schemes. Demanded to refund thousands of crores to investors, Sahara found its empire crumble like house of cards. Founder Subrata Roy even swapped the plush owner's box for jail time, and Sahara hastily retreated from the sponsorship field, proving that not all innings end on a high.
Byju's: EdTech to Ed-Wreck
From 2019, Byju's splurged lavishly to be front-and-centre on Team India's shirts-six balls, five crores per match, and no wickets in sight when the financial overcame to an abrupt end. As the pandemic boom fizzled, so did Byju's funding; what was India's most valuable startup quickly found itself defaulting on Rs 158 crore in dues to the BCCI. Cue an insolvency petition, frozen management, and the recurring nightmare of a failed sponsor. Turns out, teaching millions might not guarantee understanding the textbook definition of "fiscal prudence".
Dream11: Fantasy Runs Into Reality
As if the track record needed more spice, Dream11 rode in on the fantasy sports wave in 2023, only to be sideswiped by legislative googlies in 2025. India's new Online Gaming Law has suddenly rendered their core business a legal minefield, and Dream11 has sprinted away from the sponsorship faster than a batsman chasing a two. Off went the logo, and the "jersey curse" claimed yet another scalp.
The Jersey Jinx: Coincidence or Curse?
So, is this sponsorship saga a case of bad timing, regulatory landmines, or a supernatural hex struck into those sacred blues? Every company hoped the national spotlight would turn to gold, but for Sahara, Byju's, and Dream11, it's been nothing short of a nightmare.
But the demise of the first two companies were solely because of their own misdoings. Sahara was mismanaged badly, while Byju's was sitting on the mountains of lies and false positives. On the other hand, the Dream11 journey has ended because of the legislation of the Indian government, which has barred the company from operations. Although the fate has been same for the trio, the Indian team has no part in these unfortunate endings.
