Why Toyota is Betting Big on Indian Cricket Team Sponsorship

A New Chapter in Indian Cricket Sponsorship

In August 2025, Indian cricket’s sponsorship landscape underwent a notable shift when Dream11, the fantasy sports platform, announced an early exit from its jersey sponsorship deal with the national team. The decision, largely influenced by the impending Online Gaming Bill and its broader impact on the Indian Online Gaming Market, has created a significant void in one of the most prestigious sponsorship opportunities in global sports.

Discussions have since turned to Toyota as a potential frontrunner for the role. For the Japanese automaker, associating with Indian cricket would extend well beyond mere jersey visibility, it would symbolize a strategic move to strengthen its presence in the world’s fastest-growing automobile market while building emotional resonance with over a billion cricket enthusiasts.

Why Indian Cricket Team Sponsorship Matters

Sponsorship of the Indian cricket team has always carried unmatched significance. Cricket in India is not just a sport; it is a cultural phenomenon with unparalleled reach and emotional connection. Team India matches draw audiences in the hundreds of millions, both on television and across digital platforms, a surge further fueled by the booming Live Streaming Market. This makes jersey sponsorship one of the most visible and impactful brand placements in the world.

Past sponsors like Sahara, Star India, Micromax, Byju’s, and Dream11 have leveraged this platform for maximum exposure, though not always with lasting success. Such visibility can be both an opportunity and a risk, as being associated with the Indian jersey becomes a real-time brand stress test where both achievements and failures are amplified before a global audience.

Toyota’s Opportunity with Indian Cricket

For Toyota, this is a unique opportunity at a transformative time. With Dream11’s deal, worth around ?358 crore, cut short, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is keen on signing a more lucrative sponsorship deal before marquee tournaments like the Asia Cup and the ICC Women’s World Cup.

Toyota, alongside a few Indian conglomerates and fintech firms, has reportedly expressed strong interest in securing this position. For the automaker, this is not just about advertising but about embedding itself into the daily consciousness of Indian consumers. Cricket sponsorship, particularly with the national team, ensures brand recall across demographics, urban and rural, young and old, men and women, making it an unparalleled branding vehicle.

India’s Automobile Market and Toyota’s Timing

The timing of Toyota’s interest is particularly significant when viewed against the backdrop of India’s booming automobile industry. As of 2025, India is already the world’s third-largest automobile market, behind only China and the United States. The sector contributes more than 7% to the country’s GDP, employs over 37 million people, and accounts for nearly 8% of exports. Production across all vehicle categories exceeded 3.1 million units in FY25, while exports surged by 19% to more than 5.3 million units.

According to the Union Transport Minister, India is on track to become the largest automobile market globally by 2030, with projected valuations crossing ?22 lakh crore. For a global leader like Toyota, missing out on such a fast-growing market is not an option, and aligning with cricket, the single most unifying cultural element in India, becomes a strategic masterstroke.

Toyota’s Current Presence in India

Toyota already has a strong presence in India through Toyota Kirloskar Motor, which operates across passenger vehicles, SUVs, hybrids, and premium models. In fact, Toyota continues to strengthen its position in the Passenger Vehicles Market, driven by growing demand for hybrid cars and sustainable mobility solutions tailored for Indian consumers. Its models such as the Innova Hycross and Fortuner already command strong loyalty, especially in the premium and family segments.

Yet, in a fiercely competitive landscape dominated by players like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, and Mahindra, Toyota needs to significantly expand its brand visibility and cultural connect. Cricket sponsorship offers exactly that—an everyday reminder of Toyota’s commitment to India, flashed across millions of screens during every boundary, wicket, and post-match ceremony.

Cricket Sponsorship as a Branding Strategy

From a branding perspective, cricket remains unmatched. The Indian cricket team is among the most followed sports teams in the world, with millions of fans across continents. Each international series, ICC tournament, or Asia Cup match attracts not just domestic audiences but global attention, thanks to India’s cricketing influence.

For Toyota, attaching its brand name to this passion offers long-term dividends in consumer perception. Unlike conventional advertising, where messages are skipped or ignored, jersey sponsorships ensure constant exposure across television, digital streams, highlight reels, and social media memes. Every image of Indian Cricketers including Virat Kohli celebrating, Rohit Sharma lifting a trophy, or the team huddling before a tense over will carry the Toyota name, a priceless form of reputation that builds brand recall organically.

The Risks of Indian Cricket Sponsorship

Of course, the decision is not without risks. Industry veterans often talk about the “jersey jinx,” where several sponsors of the Indian cricket team such as Sahara, Micromax, Byju’s, and most recently Dream11, faced business downturns or reputational challenges despite their association with the team. While this may be more coincidence than curse, it underlines the immense visibility and scrutiny that comes with sponsoring India’s most beloved team.

For Toyota, the key will be to use this exposure as part of a broader, well-integrated marketing strategy rather than relying solely on sponsorship for consumer traction. The company’s strong global governance and track record in brand management could help it avoid pitfalls that plagued some of its predecessors.

Looking Ahead: Toyota’s Big Bet on India

Looking ahead, Toyota’s possible entry as Team India’s title sponsor represents a calculated alignment of business strategy with cultural opportunity. With India on the cusp of becoming the world’s largest automobile market, the stakes could not be higher. Cricket sponsorship offers Toyota the chance to entrench itself not just as an automotive brand but as a household name intertwined with India’s greatest passion. Ultimately, this move underscores how global giants increasingly view sports sponsorship not as a vanity expense but as a core investment in market leadership. For Toyota, betting on the Indian cricket team might just be the perfect drive into the future of mobility in India.