Manchester City striker and modern football sensation Erling Haaland presented his signed boots to Indian cricket captain Shubman Gill. A video capturing Haaland handing over the boots quickly went viral on social media, with fans amazed by the camaraderie between the two sports stars as they posed for a photo together.
This wasn’t Gill’s first encounter with Haaland, he had previously met the Manchester City star and several teammates following the 2023 World Test Championship final. You can watch the video here:
Shubman Gill meets Erling Haaland. 😍
– Haaland gifted his signed football Boots to Indian Captain. pic.twitter.com/yae3gYDxXh
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 2, 2026
Shubman Gill’s 2025 Performance Across Formats
Shubman Gill experienced a year of ups and downs in international cricket. His most significant challenges came in the T20I format, where a string of low scores led to him being dropped from India’s T20I squad, causing him to miss the home T20 World Cup. In 2025, he amassed 291 runs in 15 T20I innings, averaging just over 24, without registering a fifty.
In contrast, Gill excelled in Test cricket, particularly during the England tour. He scored 754 runs in five Tests at an average of 75.40, including four centuries, highlighted by a career-best 269. Overall, he ended the year with 983 runs in nine Tests at an average of 70.21, with five centuries to his name.
In ODIs, Gill scored 490 runs in 11 matches at an average of 49.00, including two centuries and two fifties. He played a pivotal role in India’s Champions Trophy triumph, scoring 188 runs in the tournament, including a century against Bangladesh. The year was also notable as Gill assumed the role of captain for both India’s Test and ODI teams.
Shubman Gill’s T20I Performances Remain Inconsistent Since Return
The 26-year-old has been omitted from India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup due to inconsistent performances in T20Is. He has also been relieved of his vice-captaincy. Gill had rejoined the T20I side during the Asia Cup 2025 and was appointed vice-captain under Suryakumar Yadav. Since his return, Gill has struggled to find form.
In the Asia Cup 2025, he scored 127 runs in seven matches at an average of 21.16, with a strike rate of 151.19. He fared slightly better in the five-match T20I series against Australia, scoring 132 runs at an average of 44.00 and a strike rate of 136.08.
However, his performance declined further in the recent series against South Africa, where he managed only 32 runs in three matches, averaging 10.66 with a strike rate of 103.22. These results led the selectors to exclude him from the T20 World Cup squad.
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