Shubman Gill could face ICC sanctions for wearing black socks on Day 1 of the Leeds Test between India and England.
Playing his first match as India’s Test captain, Gill immediately shone with the bat. He became only the fifth Indian to score a century on his captaincy debut, joining the likes of Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Virat Kohli.
While this was his sixth Test hundred, it was his second overseas century and his first outside Asia, with his previous best being his 91 against Australia at the Gabba in 2021. His unbeaten 127, along with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 101, put India in a dominant position at 359-3 by the end of the opening day.
Vjay Hazare, 1951 ✅
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 20, 2025
Sunil Gavaskar, 1976 ✅
Virat Kohli, 2014 ✅
Shubman Gill, TODAY ✅
He’s the fourth Indian to score a century in his first men’s Test innings as captain 🇮🇳#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/tm2r2Dclkc
Did Gill breach ICC's regulations?
Despite a stellar start to his captaincy, Gill may face disciplinary action for breaching the ICC’s clothing regulations. The potential violation could be due to him wearing black socks during his innings on Day 1. According to clause 19.45 of the ICC’s Clothing and Equipment Rules, which came into effect in May 2023, players are only permitted to wear socks of colours "white, cream, or light grey".
In ODIs, the same three colours are permissible, as well as the base colour of the playing trousers.
The decision to sanction Gill rests with the match referee, who must determine whether it was a deliberate Level 1 offence. If so, Gill could be fined 10 to 20 percent of his match fees. However, if his breach was accidental – for instance, if his socks were wet or unusable – he might avoid a penalty.
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