The BCCI’s search for a new title sponsor for India home cricket has ended with Muthoot Fincorp set to take the rights through March 2028, according to a report by Cricbuzz journalist Vijay Tagore. The Kochi-based financial services group will replace IDFC First Bank and begin its association with India’s upcoming ODI series against West Indies.
An official announcement is still awaited, but the agreement is expected to span approximately 35 home internationals across the next two seasons. Muthoot Fincorp will hold title rights for international and domestic matches played in India until March 31, 2028.
A difficult sales process reaches its conclusion
Securing a new title partner took the BCCI beyond its original competitive bidding timetable. August 13 had been identified under the board’s Invitation to Tender as the deadline for determining the sponsor if bidders came forward, but the absence of bids prompted direct negotiations with potential partners.
Google Gemini, IDFC First Bank, Spinny and SBI Life were among the companies approached during the process. SBI Life ultimately joined the BCCI in a different sponsorship category, becoming an Associate Partner alongside Campa and ChatGPT.
Muthoot Fincorp’s title agreement has been negotiated around a base price of ₹4.85 crore (approx. US$505K) per match, although the eventual price could be lower. Its predecessor, IDFC First Bank, had been paying ₹4.2 crore (approx. US$438K) per match.
BCCI adds new commercial partners for home cricket
The title rights form part of a wider refresh of the BCCI’s commercial partnerships around India’s bilateral home programme.
Campa, SBI Life and ChatGPT have signed Associate Partner agreements covering the two-season period through March 2028. Together, those deals are worth more than ₹130 crore (approx. US$13.5 million), representing a 44% increase over the previous cycle.
The scale of cricket’s position within India’s sports market provides broader context for the BCCI’s sponsorship business. A WPP Media sports valuation placed the country’s sports economy at ₹18,864 crore (approx. US$1.97 billion), with cricket responsible for 89% of its value.
For Muthoot Fincorp, the agreement extends an existing connection with cricket sponsorship. The company has previously been associated with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Home calendar offers Test and white-ball inventory
Muthoot Fincorp’s rights package is expected to cover 10 Tests, 12 ODIs and 13 T20Is, providing exposure across multiple formats during the two-season term.
Among the most prominent fixtures are two five-Test home series, with Australia scheduled to visit India in 2027 and England in 2028. The white-ball programme includes three ODIs and five T20Is against West Indies, three ODIs and three T20Is against Sri Lanka, and three ODIs against Zimbabwe.
The new partnership is set to make its first appearance when India face West Indies in the opening ODI on September 27. That match will be staged in Thiruvananthapuram, giving the Kerala-based Muthoot Fincorp a home-state start to its new association with the BCCI.
