NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill’s Test captaincy debut at Headingley couldn’t have been more impressive on the cricketing front. The 25-year-old led from the front with a career-best 147, anchoring India’s innings in the first Test against England. But while his batting drew praise, it was his socks that had fans – and probably officials – talking.LIVE: India vs England 1st Test Day 2On Day 1, Gill raised eyebrows by taking the field in black socks – a direct breach of the ICC’s Clothing and Equipment Regulations, which mandate that players in Test cricket must wear white, cream, or light grey socks. The rule exists to preserve the traditional, uniform appearance of the game’s oldest format.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!According to the ICC’s code, a first offence can lead to a reprimand, while repeat violations within 12 months escalate to fines of 25%, 50%, or even 75% of match fees. If Gill is found guilty of a deliberate Level 1 offence, he could face an immediate fine of 10 to 20% of his match earnings.
However, it appears the message was delivered. On Day 2, sharp-eyed viewers noticed that Gill had switched to white socks, suggesting either a quiet reminder from the team management or ICC officials.Gill resumed his innings on 127 and went on to score a classy 147, laced with 19 fours and a six, before falling to Shoaib Bashir. His 209-run fourth-wicket partnership with Rishabh Pant (who scored a century of his own) took India past 400. Despite a mini-collapse that left them 454/7 at lunch, India’s stronghold remained firm.While the ‘black socks’ episode may seem trivial in comparison to Gill’s batting heroics, it could still result in an official note from the ICC. The match referee now holds the authority to determine whether the breach was accidental or deliberate – and whether Gill’s change to white socks was too little, too late.
