If there’s one pattern indian cricket fans can’t ignore, it’s the mysterious curse of Team India’s jersey sponsors. From Sahara to Byju’s, every big brand that proudly plastered its name across the blue jersey eventually crashed and burned. Sahara went bankrupt, and its owner landed in jail. Oppo was boycotted, faded away, and lost market ground. Star, once the crown jewel of sports broadcasting, saw its dominance snatched away by jio and Sports18. The list reads more like a corporate obituary than a sponsorship roster.
Byju’s, the so-called education unicorn, is perhaps the most infamous casualty of this curse. From splashy cricket ads to being touted as India’s biggest startup success story, it all unraveled into massive debt, layoffs, and investigations. And now, Dream11, once the poster child of fantasy gaming, has been axed by the Gaming Bill 2025, proving that even billion-dollar valuations can’t escape the sponsorship doom. It’s almost poetic—every time a brand thinks wearing the “Men in Blue” will guarantee glory, it ends up writing its own exit note.
The curse is real, and it continues. What was once seen as the ultimate badge of success—sponsoring Team India—has turned into a death warrant for corporate giants. Maybe it’s bad luck, maybe it’s hubris, or maybe it’s just the ruthless churn of business. But one thing’s for sure: whoever takes up the next sponsorship deal should think twice—because in indian cricket, the jersey is hallowed, but its curse is deadly.
Byju’s, the so-called education unicorn, is perhaps the most infamous casualty of this curse. From splashy cricket ads to being touted as India’s biggest startup success story, it all unraveled into massive debt, layoffs, and investigations. And now, Dream11, once the poster child of fantasy gaming, has been axed by the Gaming Bill 2025, proving that even billion-dollar valuations can’t escape the sponsorship doom. It’s almost poetic—every time a brand thinks wearing the “Men in Blue” will guarantee glory, it ends up writing its own exit note.
The curse is real, and it continues. What was once seen as the ultimate badge of success—sponsoring Team India—has turned into a death warrant for corporate giants. Maybe it’s bad luck, maybe it’s hubris, or maybe it’s just the ruthless churn of business. But one thing’s for sure: whoever takes up the next sponsorship deal should think twice—because in indian cricket, the jersey is hallowed, but its curse is deadly.
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