Indian man with a freshly cut low burst fade haircut and shaped beard in a barbershop chair

Shubman Gill's Burst Fade Haircut: What Indian Men Should Know

July 10, 2026

If you watched IPL 2026, you saw it. Shubman Gill walked back into the Gujarat Titans lineup with a low burst fade, a fuller beard, and a commanding 70 to go with it. Hardik Pandya teasing him about the new look mid-match went viral, and the internet did the rest. Since then, barbers across India have been hearing the same five words: give me the Gill fade.

Here is Dapr.'s take. The fade is the easy part. Any decent barber can cut it in thirty minutes. What nobody tells you is that a burst fade is a commitment, not a haircut. It expires fast, it exposes everything, and it lives or dies on how you handle the top. Copy the cut without the system behind it and you will look sharp for one week and scruffy for the next five.

1. Know exactly what to ask for

Gill's cut is a low burst fade. The fade curves around the ear in a sunburst shape and stays low, so the sides look clean without going full skin. Do not walk in and just say fade. Say low burst fade, show the photo, and tell your barber how much length you want on top. Indian hair works in your favour here. Most of us have thick, slightly wavy hair, and that density on top is exactly what gives the fade its contrast.

2. A fade has an expiry date

This is the part that gets skipped. A burst fade looks perfect for about two weeks. After that, the blend grows out and the shape blurs. Gill has a team keeping him camera-ready. You have a barber you need to see every two to three weeks to keep the fade honest. If that schedule sounds unrealistic, get a taper instead. A grown-out taper still looks intentional. A grown-out fade looks like you forgot.

3. The top is the actual style

A fade is just the frame. The picture is the top, and Gill keeps his textured and matte, never shiny. What this really means is: your product choice matters more than your barber. A medium hold clay such as the Hair Setting Clay gives that matte, separated finish and adds volume without weighing hair down. Warm a small amount between your palms and work it through damp hair, back to front, then shape with your fingers. If you already wear a textured crop, the technique is nearly identical, and we broke it down step by step in our textured crop styling guide.

4. Match the beard, do not fight it

The second half of Gill's look is the beard, fuller than before but still shaped along the cheek line. A sharp fade next to a dry, flyaway beard cancels itself out. The goal is soft and settled, not sculpted. A conditioning product like Beard Butter keeps the beard soft and in shape so it blends into the fade instead of competing with it. This sits neatly inside the natural, low effort direction beards have taken this year, which we covered in our low maintenance beard post.

5. The July problem

One more thing before you book the chair. It is monsoon season, and humidity is the natural enemy of a matte, textured top. Hair drinks moisture from the air, puffs up, and goes shapeless by lunch. On days you are not styling with clay, a light layer of Hair Styling Cream tames frizz and holds a natural finish without any stiffness. Light products beat heavy ones in this weather, every time.

Action Points (Save This)

Ask for a low burst fade, show a photo, and keep length on top
Book your next barber visit before you leave the chair, two to three weeks max
Style the top with a matte clay on damp hair, small amount, back to front
Keep the beard shaped at the cheek line and conditioned so it blends with the fade
During monsoon, use a light cream on off days to control frizz
Cannot commit to the upkeep? Get a taper instead and skip the regret

Team Dapr.