Who is Sebastian Shaji, the man fans called Shubman Gill’s lookalike?

Videos and photographs of India cricket captain Shubman Gill arriving at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai went viral on social media, but it was not Gill alone who drew attention. The man seated beside him in the car prompted almost as many reactions, with fans on X and Instagram quickly pointing to a striking resemblance between the two.

The confusion grew after an X post falsely claimed Gill had hired a driver who looks almost identical to him. The post added, humorously, that Gill does not allow this supposed lookalike driver to actually drive. That claim spread widely before the facts were established.

In reality, the man in the car is Sebastian Shaji, who works in a management and representation role for Gill. His LinkedIn profile lists his position under ‘Talent – Shubman Gill,’ with his base in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Shaji is not related to Gill in any way.

The two were at the BCCI headquarters for a review meeting. Gill arrived in a Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 63, reported to be worth around ₹4 crore, with Shaji seated beside him as a passenger. That single visual was the starting point for the viral lookalike claim.

Photos and videos of the pair together circulated across X and Instagram, prompting a wave of fan reactions. Several fans pointed to similarities in their side profiles, hairstyles and overall facial structure. Some went further, jokingly calling Shaji Gill’s “fraternal twin,” though the two share no family connection whatsoever.

How the lookalike claim spread online

The resemblance is described as particularly noticeable in photographs taken from certain angles, and it has been confirmed as the primary reason behind the social media confusion. Many users were initially unable to identify Shaji correctly from the footage and photographs that circulated.

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As Gill’s sports manager, Shaji accompanies him at various public appearances and events as part of his professional duties. Gill has a large and closely engaged fan base that follows both his cricket career and his public appearances, and the BCCI headquarters visit is the latest off-field moment involving the India captain to draw significant attention online.