India’s commanding Test win at Edgbaston, led by newly appointed captain Shubman Gill, was expected to dominate the headlines — but it wasn’t just the on-field triumph that got people talking. What sparked a mini storm online was something far more subtle: the Nike compression vest Gill wore while declaring the innings.
On Day 4 of the second Test against England, as India pulled the plug on their innings with a lead of over 600 runs, Gill appeared on the players’ balcony to call in Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. But while fans celebrated the strategic timing, it was his black Nike vest — clearly visible beneath the team’s Adidas-sponsored kit — that grabbed unexpected attention.
The image spread like wildfire on social media. For the casual viewer, it was just a vest. But for branding hawks and cricket marketing observers, it was a clever marketing moment — or a sponsorship headache, depending on which side you were on.
While Adidas officially took over as Team India’s kit sponsor in 2023, replacing Nike after a long run that began in 2006, Nike continues to back individual athletes, Gill included. So even though Adidas holds exclusive team rights, Gill’s personal tie to Nike brought the swoosh back into the spotlight — and without spending a rupee on team sponsorship.
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Social media, of course, had a field day.
One user posted: “Adidas paid crores for team sponsorship, but Gill’s Nike vest stole the show — for free.”
Another joked: “When Adidas is the team sponsor but Gill just refuses to let go of his Nike era.”
And one summed it up sharply: “Nike hijacked Shubman Gill’s biggest day in Test cricket without even trying.”
Intentional or not, it was a textbook lesson in brand visibility — and a moment that marketing execs on both sides are unlikely to forget anytime soon.
