Kolkata : Shubman Gill started his captaincy career in style, playing a breath taking 147 (227) in his first innings against England at Headingley in First Test. However, the youngster might land into trouble due to a breach of rule regarding his kits.
Gill might face sanction or disciplinary action from ICC due to choice of his socks which goes against ICC’s dress code regulations.
Gill was seen wearing black socks during his innings on Day 1, in contrast to the traditional white socks that accompany Test whites. This could amount to a violation of the ICC’s Clothing and Equipment Rules, which follow guidelines set by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), ”the custodian of the game’s laws.
According to clause 19.45 of the ICC’s updated regulations (effective from May 2023), players in Test matches are only permitted to wear socks in “white, cream, or light grey”. While limited-overs cricket allows players to wear socks matching the base colour of their trousers, the rules in Tests are more stringent.
Whether Gill is penalised now depends on the match referee’s assessment. If the breach is deemed a deliberate Level 1 offence, he could be fined between 10 and 20 percent of his match fee. However, if it is found that the breach was accidental, for example, if his regulation socks were unavailable or unfit for use, he is likely to avoid punishment.
India scored 471 in first innings owing to hundreds of Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant. With this hundred, Gill joined an elite group of Indian captains who had scored a century on their captaincy debut, alongside legends such as Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Virat Kohli.
