Toyota Kirloskar may pad up after Dream11's Team India innings ends

Toyota Kirloskar Motor, the joint venture between Japan’s Toyota Motor Corporation and India’s Kirloskar group, is exploring the possibility of becoming Team India’s lead sponsor, according to two people familiar with the matter.

 

This comes after Dream11 withdrew from its sponsorship following the government’s ban on real-money gaming through the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to issue an official tender for a new lead sponsor. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia recently confirmed that Dream11’s deal had ended and that the board was initiating the process of finding a replacement, according to PTI.

 

“Toyota Kirloskar Motor is interested in being a sponsor, but the BCCI hasn’t decided anything yet,” said one of the people. “There are a lot of legal aspects and procedures still under review. BCCI may try to close a deal before the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup begins on September 30, as Dream11 has also exited as the sponsor for that tournament.”

 

An email sent by Business Standard to Toyota Kirloskar Motor went unanswered until the time of going to press. Another source, however, clarified that the company is not eyeing the title sponsor slot. For now, it appears unlikely that the men’s cricket team will have a sponsor logo on the front of their jerseys for the upcoming 2025 Asia Cup, with Team India scheduled to leave for the United Arab Emirates on September 4.

 

According to media reports, BCCI is seeking a new sponsorship deal worth around ₹452 crore.

 

Bhairav Shanth, cofounder of ITW Universe — a sports, entertainment, and media consulting firm — said the upcoming deal could run through 2028. “With Team India’s future tours programme including marquee bilateral series and two major ICC Men’s events — the T20 World Cup in 2026 and the Cricket World Cup in 2027 — I expect sponsorship to be priced at ₹4–4.5 crore per bilateral game,” he said.

 

Dream11, a fantasy sports platform, had signed a three-year deal in July 2023 worth ₹358 crore to become BCCI’s lead sponsor, taking over from educational technology firm Byju’s.

 

Industry experts earlier told Business Standard that while there could be a short-term sponsorship gap, the front-of-jersey slot for Team India remains a premium brand placement.