Oppo's deal may well prove timely as well. In terms of sales, Oppo grew from 1.2 percent of total market volume in December 2015 to 11.7 percent in January 2017, according to GFK data.
Oppo's logo will now be emblazoned on Indian cricketers' jerseys, promising almost nonstop exposure in print, online, mobile and broadcast media, not only through the end of the contract in March 2022, but thereafter from rebroadcasts.
"Sponsoring cricket is key to gaining mass market popularity and brand recall," said Neil Shah, Counterpoint's research director.
Many phone users in India, reached over the internet, agreed. "For over two years, a retail outlet displayed an Oppo logo, but I never felt it was a big brand. Now, its brand value is going up," said Ajay Anand, a writer in Mysuru.
To appeal to India's highly divergent market－with stark urban-rural, literate-illiterate, male-female and young-old divisions－Chinese brands have adopted multipronged strategies. They include online flash sales, e-commerce tie-ups, an offline push through dealer partnerships, slick advertising campaigns featuring celebrities ($200 million forecast to be spent in 2017), product reviews, social media campaigns and generous retailer margins.
The strategies appear to be working. Ivan Crasto, a sports content strategist in Mumbai, India's commercial capital, said he, his wife and son all own Chinese smartphones.
"Good price, good products. Haven't had any bad experience. They exceeded my expectations. Am more inclined now to buy Chinese brands than Indian or other foreign products," Crasto said.
Rajul Hegde, an entertainment reporter in Mumbai, bought a OnePlus 3T smartphone after noticing it in ads and product reviews. "For its price, it has the best specs. Other foreign brands cost double but didn't match the specs. I'm impressed."
So is S. Saket, a communications professional in Mumbai. He said he bought a Huawei-built Honor Holly phone and Xiaomi Mi5 for their "good finish and premium look", which, he said, other brands don't deliver for the same price.
Arpit Agarwal, a principal of Blume Ventures, an Indian investment firm, said: "Chinese brands were seen as being of inferior quality in the past. But now the perception is changing."
Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Lenovo and Huawei will likely work to strengthen their association with Indian sports even more. Visibility is critical for the success of their multibillion-dollar investments, which include joint ventures for contract assembly plants, warehouses, logistics, call centers and service centers.
But not everyone is applauding. The Xiaomi online user forum includes thousands of comments from disaffected consumers.
A common complaint is that Chinese products are not durable, and after-sales service tends to be poor.
"Chinese make use-and-throw-away products. There is always a glitch in functionality," said S. Dave, a digital strategist in Mumbai.
Puja Lall, a customer relationship manager in New Delhi who owns a Lenovo K3 Note, said: "It's high time Chinese products deliver utility rather than just being very cheap."
K.K. Suresh, a cameraman in Mumbai who owns a Xiaomi Redmi, said, "Chinese brands must offer user manuals in English and regional Indian languages."
Some critics think Chinese brands' Indian forays and rush into cricket may come unglued.
Star TV, Oppo's predecessor as a team sponsor, did not renew its deal citing "volatility" in India's cricket administration, a reference to the sport's legal troubles.
Several years ago, corruption charges and scandals besmirched the IPL, prompting Pepsi to withdraw its sponsorship prematurely.
"There are plenty of Indians who hate cricket because of its excessive commercialization and excessive frequency of matches," said A. Shaikh, a media analyst in Mumbai. "Cricket sponsorship could backfire."
In the coming years, there also may be tough competition from Indian brands that are becoming popular.
Also, if Chinese companies shift their manufacturing from China to India－encouraged by the government's Make-in-India campaign－the perceived corporate "invasion" may well morph into a war among Chinese brands' Indian-made phones, analysts said.
