Shubman Gill is receiving praises among cricket circles for historic feat that Indian cricket team achived in 2nd test against England at Edgbaston, leveling up the series by 1-1. Gill led the company from the front and pulled off some of the long lost records in the history of Indian cricket. He scored the highest runs in a single test by scoring daddy hundreds in both the innings. However, these historical records are not the only thing for which Gill grabbed attention; he also made headlines for what he was wearing during his first ever declaration as test captain.
What's The Controversy?
Indian captain was seen wearing a 'Nike vest' when he decided to declare the humongous looking 2nd innings of India during the 83rd over. Meanwhile, netizens are speculating that captain Gill could land in some trouble for his choice of clothes in the dressing room as Indian cricket team is officially bonded with Nike's direct competitor 'Adidas' for their kit sponsorship for both Indian Men's and Women's cricket team across all the age groups. The sponsorship bon lasts till March 2028.
Declaration Moment Gone Viral
It could have been a normal declaration by a test team untill Gill decided to breach the BBCI conduct by wearing a 'Nike vest.' Now netizens are divided over the controversy as some are speculating that the Indian captain could be fined for this while Gill's fans are defending him as wearing a vest/inner of any brand is a personal choice. In the viral moment, Gill can be seen doing his declaration gestures towards his teammates, Jadeja and Sundar on the field, Nike logo on the vest can easily been seen flaunting on his chest.
WATCH THE VIRAL MOMENT:
India's Sponsorship Contract With Adidas
In 2023, BCCI signed a partnership deal with global sportswear brand Adidas, which will run till March 2028. A BCCI release confirmed that Adidas will be the sole supplier of all "match, training and travel wear" for the men's, women's and youth teams. It is mandatory for all the players in the team to not wear any other brand's product during the cricketing events. On breaching the code, now Shubman Gill could be in trouble. Netizens are also speculating that this could be a marketing stunt by Nike as Gill is the official brand ambassador of the sport and apparel brand.
Past Instances
Indian former captain landed in similar controversy. While playing for India, he was seen wearing a Puma headband under his Nike helmet during a match, which violated team's contract with Nike and led to a heavy fine from the BCCI.
