- Shubman Gill wore a black Nike vest during the second Test against England at Edgbaston
- Nike was India's cricket kit sponsor until 2020; Adidas took over in 2023
- Gill's Nike apparel sparked online debate over brand sponsorship conflicts
India's thumping Test win at Edgbaston under new skipper Shubman Gill wasn't the only headline-grabber this week. The Indian captain's seemingly minor athleisure choice led to a major conversation online, especially over how Nike stole the limelight.
During the fourth day of the second Test against England, Mr Gill declared the innings with a lead of over 600 runs. As he stood on the balcony to call back Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, what caught the internet's eye was his black Nike vest, standing out against the Adidas-sponsored Indian team kit.
The image of Mr Gill in Nike apparel quickly went viral, raising eyebrows over potential breaches of brand agreements.
Nike had been Team India's official kit sponsor from 2006 to 2020. Adidas took over the mantle starting with the World Test Championship final in 2023. While Adidas currently holds the official rights, Nike continues to sponsor individual athletes like Mr Gill.
The internet is now abuzz with Nike's marketing masterclass, gaining massive visibility through Mr Gill's appearance. For Adidas, which pays a premium to be the exclusive team sponsor, the optics may be less than ideal.
A user on X wrote, "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."
Another wrote, "When Adidas is the team Sponsor, but Shubman Gill just can't leave his Nike love behind."
"Nike just hijacked the biggest day of Shubman Gill's Test career - without spending a single rupee on BCCI sponsorship. And most people didn't even realize it," another said.
Someone wrote, "Shubman Gill declares the innings... and maybe his next big brand deal too. Adidas is on the jersey, but Nike stole the frame."
A user wrote, "Shubman Gill scored 430 runs in a test match and coming out with a Nike t-shirt to declare innings when adidas is the primary sponsor of ICT. That is called Aura."
The match was historic for Shubman Gill. The young captain scored 269 and 161, becoming the first player in Test history to hit both a double century and a 150 in the same match. His 430-run aggregate is the highest by an Indian in a Test, and his 269 is now the highest score by an Indian captain, surpassing Virat Kohli's 254.
India and England play next at Lord's in three days. The Ben Stokes-led side looks forward to boosting their bowling with the inclusion of Jofra Archer, who hasn't played a Test since 2021. Apart from him, Gus Atkinson is also likely to feature in the all-important Test.
