Following the implementation of the Online Gaming Bill in August 2025, Team India were searching for their jersey sponsors as Dream 11, who were associated with the Men in Blue, opted out of the deal due to the regulatory reforms. In the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 getting played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India are playing without any sponsor on the jersey. With Apollo Tyres winning the bid, sponsorship will return in India’s next international assignment which will be at home against the West Indies for the two Tests to be played between October 2 and 14.
Apollo Tyres won the sponsorship rights after outbidding Australian multinational proprietary software company Canva and JK Organisation’s JK Cement. Canva were ready to spend 4.28 cr per
bilateral match while for ICC contests,1.83 per match. A total of 554.48 crore for the three-year cycle, the Aussie organistaion was ready to splurge. Discussing JK Tyres, they were willing to ready to spend 3.7 crore for a bilateral match while 1.5 crore for an ICC match. Overall, the cement company was eager to realese 477.7 crore for three years. Media reports have claimed that Shankh Air and Dubai-based Omniyat also showed interest in getting the rights but the former couldn’t fulfill the eligibility criteria while the latter chose to stay away from bidding. ITW ‘s Spinny also chose to opt out of the bidding.
Team India’s sponsors in the past
In the past, Wills/ITC Limited, Sahara India, Star India, Oppo, and Byju’s have been Team India sponsors before Dream 11. Sahara sponsored India for a long period as they were associated with the side for 13 years from 2001 to 2013. From 2014 to 2017, Star India sponsored the two-time World Cup-winning team.
Before Sahara India and Star India, Wills also sponsored India during the 1990s. The new sponsor Apollo Tyres’ name will feature on India’s jersey for 140 matches across formats from September 30, 2025, to March 31, 2028. In the remainder of 2025, the Men in Blue will play the West Indies in a couple of Tests and following that, they will travel to Australiafor the white-ball series in October. In November-December, South Africa will visit India for two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is.
