The chest of the Indian cricket team’s jersey is arguably the most coveted piece of real estate in Indian advertising. It offers unparalleled visibility, reaching hundreds of millions of passionate fans across the globe. Yet, a look back at the corporate history of its lead sponsors reveals a curious and often troubling pattern. From regulatory clampdowns to spectacular financial collapses, the brands emblazoned on the iconic blue jersey have frequently stumbled, leading many to whisper about the “Team India Jersey Curse.”
This isn’t a tale of superstition, but a chronicle of high-stakes business gambles meeting harsh market realities. Let’s examine the journey of Team India’s sponsors and the turmoil that often followed.
ITC Limited (Wills and ITC Hotels): 1993 to 2001/2002
The Sponsorship: ITC, a diversified Indian conglomerate, was the first major sponsor to have its brand on the team jersey. The “Wills” logo became synonymous with Indian cricket in the 1990s, an era defined by the rise of Sachin Tendulkar. The branding was iconic, present during some of cricket’s most memorable moments.
The Exit: The partnership’s demise was not due to business failure but a sweeping change in government policy. As global sentiment turned against tobacco advertising, the Indian government began tightening regulations. The impending ban on tobacco product advertising and sponsorship in sports forced ITC to pull the Wills brand from the jersey. This was the first instance of an external, regulatory force ending a high-profile sponsorship deal, setting a precedent for challenges to come.
Sahara India Pariwar: 2001/2002 to 2013
The Sponsorship: Stepping in after ITC, Sahara India Pariwar began what would become the longest-serving sponsorship in Indian cricket history. For over a decade, the “SAHARA” logo was a constant on the team’s kit. The company invested heavily and was a fixture during a golden period for the team, which included the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup victories.
The Exit: Sahara’s exit was a direct consequence of the conglomerate’s own monumental financial and legal troubles. The group became embroiled in a massive dispute with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) over optionally fully convertible debentures that were ruled to be illegal. The ensuing legal battle, which demanded Sahara refund thousands of crores to investors, crippled the company financially. Subrata Roy was even jailed from 2014-2016, and the company struggled. The high-cost cricket sponsorship became an untenable expense amid a corporate crisis, and the once-unbreakable bond with Indian cricket dissolved under immense financial pressure.
Star India: 2014 to 2017
The Sponsorship: A subsidiary of 21st Century Fox, media giant Star India was a logical successor. Already a major broadcaster of Indian cricket, their sponsorship created a powerful synergy. The “STAR” logo was seen on the jersey for three years as the team transitioned under the new leadership of Virat Kohli.
The Exit: Star India’s case is an outlier in the “curse” narrative, as the company did not collapse. Instead, their exit was a strategic business decision. The bidding for the sponsorship rights had become intensely competitive, driving the price to astronomical levels. Star India opted not to renew its contract, choosing instead to consolidate its resources and focus on securing the far more lucrative broadcasting rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and international cricket, which it did with a record-breaking bid. Their departure highlighted a different kind of struggle: the sheer, unsustainable cost of the sponsorship itself.
Oppo: 2017 to 2019
The Sponsorship: Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo won the rights in 2017 with a staggering bid of ₹1,079 crore for a five-year period. This deal reflected the peak of the Indian smartphone market boom and the aggressive marketing strategies of Chinese brands.
The Exit: The massive price tag proved too heavy. Citing financial strain and finding the cost of the deal to be unsustainable, Oppo decided to withdraw midway through its tenure. In a unique move, it sub-licensed the remainder of its sponsorship term to the Indian ed-tech startup Byju’s in 2019. Oppo’s retreat was a clear sign that even for a booming global brand, the financial commitment required for the Team India jersey could be a strategic miscalculation.
Byju’s: 2019 to 2022
The Sponsorship: Byju’s took over the sponsorship at the height of its power. As India’s most valuable startup and a global ed-tech leader, its presence on the jersey symbolized the rise of India’s new-age tech economy. The sponsorship continued through the pandemic, a period that initially saw massive growth for online learning platforms.
The Exit: The end of the Byju’s deal was as dramatic as the company’s subsequent downturn. As the post-pandemic world reopened, the ed-tech market cooled significantly. Byju’s faced intense scrutiny over its accounting practices, mass layoffs, and mounting financial pressures. ED had issued a lookout notice against founder Byju Raveendran, and raided the company’s offices. The partnership with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ended acrimoniously amidst reports of unpaid dues, with the BCCI even taking the company to court. The jersey sponsorship became a high-profile casualty of the broader implosion within the ed-tech sector.
Dream11: July 2023 to August 2025
The Sponsorship: Fantasy gaming platform Dream11 became the lead sponsor in mid-2023, signing a three-year deal. Like Byju’s, it represented the new wave of Indian tech startups dominating the digital landscape. The Real Money Gaming (RMG) sector was booming, and the sponsorship seemed like a perfect match.
The Exit: The “curse” struck again, this time through a decisive regulatory blow. In a move to address concerns around addiction and financial risk, the Government of India announced a nationwide ban on all online fantasy gaming platforms, set to take effect in August 2025. With its core business model outlawed, Dream11 announced it was shutting down all real money gaming on its platform. With its biggest revenue source gone, continuing a multi-crore sponsorship will likely be impossible. Dream11 will likely be forced to pull out of the deal, marking the second time a sponsor had its tenure cut short by a sweeping governmental ban, echoing the fate of ITC two decades earlier.
Conclusion: A High-Risk, High-Reward Gamble
The history of the Team India jersey sponsorship is a powerful business case study. The “curse” is not one of bad luck, but a manifestation of tangible risks: sudden regulatory shifts (ITC, Dream11), unsustainable financial exuberance (Oppo, Byju’s), and catastrophic corporate failure (Sahara).
Sponsoring Team India places a company at the pinnacle of public consciousness but also under an intense microscope. It demands not only deep pockets but also a resilient, future-proof business model. As the BCCI searches for its next lead sponsor, potential candidates will be acutely aware that they are not just buying advertising space; they are taking a high-stakes gamble where the visibility is unparalleled, but the pitfalls are historically potent.