Shubman Gill could not start a better start as the Test captain of the India National Cricket Team. On 1 of the ongoing first Test against England in Headingly, Shubman Gill extended from the front, showing a quiet, square and full command at the crease with a spectacular knock.
Gill did not stay at 127, calming the innings calm and anchoring with confidence. He shared a 129 -run partnership for the second wicket, with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
After Jaiswal’s dismissal at 101, Rishabh Pant (65*) went inside and added 138 runs with Gill, taking India to a prominent position of 359/3 in stumps on day 1 in the first Test against England in Headingly.
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Shubman Gill’s Dress Code Brech in Headingly Test under ICC scanner
But when the right -handed batsman’s bat talked all the things on the field, it is his socks that can put him in hot water. In a stunning step, Shubman Gill was seen wearing black socks with his white test kit, which has been strictly banned under ICC’s clothing and equipment rules.
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The ICC introduced new rules in May 2023 on the recommendations of the Marylebon Cricket Club (MCC), the patron of cricket laws, stating that the players are not allowed to sports colored socks.
In 19.45 of ICC clothes and equipment rules and regulations, it is clearly stated that players should only wear white, cream, or light brown colored socks in test matches.
How many of you have been fined for wearing black socks first? pic.twitter.com/cmf1bn8lg0
– Sky Sports Cricket (@Skycricket) June 20, 2025
Match referee to decide Shubman Gill’s fate over black socks controversy
But Shubman Gill opted to play black socks, violating the ICC rules. Whether or not Gill will be fined for wearing black socks in the first Test lie going on with match referee Richie Richardson.
If Richardson considers it a deliberate level 1 crime, Gill may finish 10–20% of his match fee.
However, if the Indian captain accidentally violated the ICC rule, such as wet or unavailable white socks, he could avoid punishment. But it completely depends on the match referee. Level 1 crime, the penalty ranges from 0% to 50% match fee and a potential demeriti points.
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And in level 2 crime, a player can be fined in the range between 50% and 100% and may include match ban, although the dress code is rare for violations unless combined with other misconduct. The official term of ICC and Richie Richardson is yet to be created on the incident.
ICC past is fined large names on equipment violation in the past
Meanwhile, many cricketers have been fined for violating ICC clothing and equipment rules in the past. Back in 2018, Indian batsman KL Rahul was fined 10% of his match fee during a Test match against Afghanistan for wearing helmets that met ICC security standards.
Rahul’s helmet lacked the necessary certification for international matches, and faced the ICC’s anger. And then West Indies veteran Chris Gayle used a black bat in the Big Bash League (BBL) game, which went against the ICC equipment rules about Bat Colors and logo.
As a result, Gayle was fined 10% of his match fee, yet it was not the ICC match. Another similar incident occurred during the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019 when Pakistani opener Imam-ul-Haq used the bat in a match against England with unauthorized commercial people.
For this, the Imam was assigned a 15% fine of his match fee. Recently in 2021, England’s modern-era-giants Joe Root was fined 15% of their match fee for wearing jersey with a rainbow symbol in support of the LGBTQ+ community during a test against India, which was dissolving the ICC dress code rules.
