Shubman Gill's record-breaking performance during India's second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England in Birmingham made headlines throughout the cricket globe. He rewrote record books by scoring 269 in the first innings and 161 in the second, spearheading India's incredible comeback following the series opener debacle in Leeds.
In addition to his purple patch with the bat, Gill gained notoriety for an off-field decision that generated a lot of debate. During the 83rd over of India's second innings, Gill declared the innings. The declration came when India were batting at 427/6 with an hour remaining in Day 4, leaving England with a massive target of 608. However, what he was wearing at the time of the declaration caught more attention than just the timing of it.
Gill summoned his teammates off the field while sporting a black Nike vest. Given that Adidas, Nike's main rival, has an exclusive sponsorship deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that runs through March 2028, the sight raised some eyebrows.
The agreement states that Adidas will sponsor India's cricket kits for both the men's and women's teams, for all age groups.
Fans immediately started to wonder if Gill, the young captain, had unintentionally violated the BCCI's commercial requirements as pictures of his Nike-clad declaration went viral. The Nike emblem, which was prominently displayed across his chest, caused a stir on social media. Some fans were critical, while others were humorous, but everyone was aware of the implications.
Although leading clothing manufacturers are stringent about their high-value deals, it is unclear if Gill will face consequences.
Will Adidas fine Gill for donning Nike here? I know the inner is a personal gear and not part of the kit that Adidas provides, but back in 2006-07, Ganguly was penalised for sporting a Puma headband when the Nike was the kit sponsor. pic.twitter.com/Q7tklZDxkU— Karan Khera (@karank_) July 5, 2025
Adidas might have paid a lot of money to sponsor the Indian cricket jersey, but Shubman Gill wearing a Nike compression shirt just stole the whole show pic.twitter.com/521UGnnPYV — isHaHaHa (@hajarkagalwa) July 6, 2025
Gill delivered one of the best batting efforts by an Indian in Tests. He amassed his highest Test score - 269 in the opening innings, which included 3 maximums and 30 boundaries. He went on to score another century in the second innings, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar's record of 344 runs in a single Test, which was set against the West Indies in 1971.
Gill's performance demonstrated his potential not only as a batsman of exceptional skill but also as a leader who can perform well under pressure.
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