Apollo Tyres replaced Dream11 (Image Credit:- X)

Apollo Tyres has replaced Dream11 as new sponsor for Men and Women’s Indian cricket team. They bags the rights for INR 579 crore. The sponsorship deal is for two and a half years and it will run until March 2028. It covers 121 bilateral and 21 ICC matches.

Dream 11 has INR 358 crore deal with BCCI from 2023 to 2026. They informed BCCI that it will discontinue it sponsorship deal with Indian Cricket Team after government passed Online Gaming Bill 2025 in August which hit their real money operations.

Also Read:- BCCI ends sponsorship deal with Dream11 after Online Gaming Bill

New government bill states that “no person shall offer 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”.

Salient features of Online Gaming Bill , 2025

1.Complete ban on offering , operating or facilitating online money games irrespective of whether based on skill , chance or both.

2.Ban on advertising and promotion of money games across all forms of media.

3.Ban on financial transaction linked to online money games; banks and payment systems barred from processing such payments.

4.Empowerment to block access to unlawful gaming platforms under the Information Technology Act , 2000.

Indian men’s cricket team is playing Asia Cup and Women’s team in their bilateral ODI series against Australia without a sponsor.

New Sponsorship process

The process to secure a new sponsor began by BCCI on September 2. They released an invitation for expression of interest for lead sponsorship rights and the deadline to submit a bid was September 16.

Also Read:- Injury Sidelines Naveen ul Haq from Asia Cup 2025

The BCCI has specified that alcohol brands , betting or gambling services , cryptocurrency , online money gaming , tobacco brands or any other product or service likely to “offend public morals such as , including but not limited to , pornography” were not eligible to submit a bid to become the team sponsor.

What BCCI and Apollo Tyres said?

“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,” BCCI said.

“Cricket’s unmatched popularity in India and worldwide makes it an honor for us to become the National team lead sponsor of team India. This partnership is about national pride , strengthening customer trust , and showcasing Apollo as a true leader in our category, while supporting Indian sport at the highest level and creating unforgettable moments for fans worldwide,” Neeraj Kanwar , vice-chairman and Managing Director , Apollo Tyres Ltd said.