Shubman Gill Faces Potential Fine for Breaking ICC Dress Code Rules

India's Strong Start Against England

In the opening match of the five-Test series against England, the Indian cricket team has made an impressive start. On the first day, captain Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal both scored remarkable centuries, pushing the team's score beyond 300. However, despite his stellar performance, Gill finds himself in a precarious situation as he may face significant repercussions from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for violating a crucial rule.

What Rule Did Gill Violate?

Shubman Gill, the new captain of Team India, began his leadership with a fantastic century during the Headingley Test. Unfortunately, he made a critical error by wearing black socks instead of the required white ones, as stipulated for Test matches. This regulation is enforced based on recommendations from the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which sets the standards for cricket rules. Consequently, Gill could face the ICC's ire for breaching the dress code.

ICC's Stance on Sock Color

According to ICC Rule 19.45, players must wear white, cream, or light brown socks during Test matches. Gill's choice of black socks directly contravenes this rule, which was implemented in May 2023.

Will Gill Be Fined?

The decision regarding a potential fine for Gill will be made by the match referee. If Richie Richardson, the match referee for the Headingley Test, deems this a Level 1 offense and believes it was intentional, Gill could face a fine ranging from 10% to 20% of his match fee. However, if Gill's choice was accidental or due to his white socks being wet, he might avoid penalties, but this ultimately rests with the match referee. Notably, other players have also faced similar dress code violations.

Previous Violations by Other Players

In 2018, KL Rahul was fined 10% of his match fee for wearing a helmet that did not comply with ICC regulations during a Test match between India and Afghanistan. Similarly, in 2016, Chris Gayle used a black bat during a Big Bash League match, which was against ICC rules, resulting in a 10% fine for him as well.

Other Notable Fines

During the 2019 World Cup match between England and Pakistan, Imam-ul-Haq was fined 15% of his match fee for using unauthorized logos on his gear. Additionally, Joe Root faced a similar penalty for wearing a rainbow jersey in support of the LGBTQ+ community during a Test match against India in 2021.