The Indian cricket team is perhaps one of the most in-demand teams in global sports. And it’s totally because of their dominant and consistent performances, be it in bilateral or multi-team series.
So it’s quite common to see matches involving India garnering billions of eyeballs, not just in India but from across the world. With so many spectators watching the Indian team, there’s no better opportunity to advertise a brand.
That has turned the Indian team’s jersey into a hot property among big corporates. Everyone wants to have their logo on the jersey, and they are ready to shell out a handsome amount.
And that means there’s a bit of competition between teams to bag the lead sponsorship rights. Since 1993, many prominent brands have sponsored the Indian team, showcasing their logo on the jersey.
Here in this piece, we’ll look at the Indian team’s current jersey and kit sponsors, including important details.
Indian Team Lead Jersey Sponsor | Dream11
In July 2023, Dream11 secured the Indian team’s lead sponsorship rights. Dream11, a fantasy-gaming platform, struck a deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after their successful bid. They filled in the void left by the previous sponsor, Byju’s.
As per the agreement, the deal will run for three years. So you will spot the Dream11 logo on India’s jersey till 2026. The Dream11 logo will be present on the senior, ‘A’, and under-19 teams (men’s and women’s) representing India.
So what’s the deal worth?
According to reports, Dream11 will pay approximately INR 350 crore to the BCCI for the three-year deal. That comes down to INR 3 crore for each match played in bilateral series and INR 1 crore for every game in ICC tournaments.
And during the sponsorship cycle, the Indian men’s cricket team will play almost 150 matches across formats, including in ICC events.
Before the jersey deal, Dream11 was also the title sponsor for the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2020. It was just a one-season deal, with the fantasy platform splurging INR 222 crore.
Indian Team Kit Sponsor | Adidas
Now, the jersey worn by the Indian players needs to be designed and manufactured by a sports apparel company. And that’s how the kit sponsor comes into the picture.
Currently, Adidas is the Indian cricket team’s kit sponsor. They exclusively design and manufacture the match jerseys and practice kits for the players. They also manufacture clothing for the support staff members.
What’s the deal like?
The BCCI signed a five-year kit sponsorship deal with Adidas in May 2023. Adidas will stay as the kit sponsor till March 2028.
It’s reported that the deal is worth INR 250 crore, with Adidas paying INR 75 lakh to the BCCI for every match. On top of that, Adidas will also pay INR 10 crore every year as royalty for the Indian team’s merchandise sales.
Before Adidas came into the picture, India had two kit sponsors – MPL Sports and Killer – between 2020 and 2023. And even before that, Adidas’ rival, Nike, made India’s kit.
The association with Nike ran for almost 14 years, from 2006 to 2020. Interestingly, Adidas was outbid by Nike back in 2005.
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