Shubman Gill’s bold call to declare during India’s second innings at Edgbaston had fans buzzing. As his first big decision as Test captain, it looked like a move full of confidence and intent. But while the declaration itself won praise, what he was wearing at that exact moment is now causing quite a stir.
Wearing a Nike Vest During Declaration Raises Contract Questions
It happened in the 83rd over. India still had more than three sessions left and looked like they’d keep batting. But during the drinks break, Gill strolled out in a black Nike vest and signaled Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to come off the field. That was it. Declaration made.
Sounds routine, right? Not quite. The problem is the vest. The BCCI has an exclusive contract with Adidas, which replaced Nike as India’s official kit sponsor. Under the deal, Adidas has the sole rights to kit all national men’s, women’s, and youth teams. So seeing the Indian skipper wearing Nike-especially during an official moment-has raised some serious eyebrows.
BCCI’s Adidas Deal Is Worth Hundreds of Crores
BCCI announced a partnership with Adidas in June 2023 before the World Test Championship final between India vs Australia. Adidas agreed to pay 75 lakhs per match, which makes the total deal 250 to 300 crores.
With that kind of money involved, even something as small as a player wearing a rival brand can be a big deal. And when that player is the captain, the optics become even trickier. Fans online were quick to point it out and have been debating whether this counts as a breach of contract.
Adidas paid BCCI ₹ 250 crores for a sponsorship deal.
The Indian captain walks out to the balcony, wearing not the adidas jersey, but a NIKE T-SHIRT. pic.twitter.com/s52Rw87LX7
— Aman (@AmanHasNoName_2) July 6, 2025
Adidas 😂 pic.twitter.com/EAdfNiV2lQ
— Veeresh Ingleshwar (@VeerIngleshwar) July 6, 2025
Shubman Gill’s Personal Nike Tie-Up Adds Another Layer
Now here’s where it gets more complicated. Gill is currently signed with Nike as a brand ambassador. The deal, reportedly worth several crores, has been in place for a few months. So while it’s totally normal for athletes to have personal sponsorships, it’s a grey area when those collide with official team commitments.
Wearing a Nike vest while representing India in a match governed by an Adidas contract? That’s the kind of clash that could spark legal or commercial headaches.
Will BCCI Step In or Let It Slide?
At this point, there’s been no word from the BCCI. They may choose to let it go as a minor oversight, or they might address it quietly behind closed doors. Either way, it’s an awkward moment in what should have been a smooth leadership debut for Gill.
His declaration may have been tactically spot-on, but it’s the vest-of all things-that’s stealing headlines now.
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