NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India's cricket team have named Apollo Tyres as their lead sponsor to replace fantasy sports platform Dream11, the country's cricket board said on Tuesday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was forced to search for a new sponsor after Dream11, which signed a $44 million contract running through 2026, had to exit the deal following a ban on real-money online gaming last month.

The BCCI did not reveal the value of the new contract, which runs until the end of March 2028, but said it "represents a substantial increase in sponsorship value".

"We are excited about this being Apollo's first major sponsorship in India cricket, which speaks volumes about the sport's unparalleled reach and influence," BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said in a statement.

"This is more than a commercial agreement; it's a partnership between two institutions that have earned the trust and respect of millions."

Having the tyremaker's logo on the jerseys of the India men's and women's teams across all formats would be an honour for Apollo, the company's Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Neeraj Kanwar said.

"Cricket's unmatched popularity in India and worldwide makes it an honour for us to become the national team lead sponsor of Team India," he said.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Ken Ferris)