Latest news with #MRFGenius
India.com
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Sachin Tendulkar Never Used ‘God', Virat Kohli Didn't Write ‘King': Fans Troll Shubman Gill For ‘Prince' Bat Sticker
Shubman Gill is all set to lead India in the upcoming Test series against England starting June 2025, but his captaincy debut is already making headlines—not for cricket, but for his bat sticker. Fans spotted the word 'Prince' written below the MRF Genius logo on his bat and began trolling the young star on social media. Carrying A Legendary Legacy Gill is the latest batter to sign a bat sponsorship deal with MRF, a brand that has been associated with cricketing greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, AB de Villiers, and Virat Kohli. These icons proudly carried the Genius sticker on their bats but never added any personal nickname. So when Gill's bat was seen carrying the word "Prince" along with "MRF Genius", many fans felt it was too bold, especially before proving himself fully in Test cricket. Why 'Prince' Is Causing A Stir The Overhyped "Prince" of Indian Cricket Shubman Gill is so self-obsessed. Who even called you the Prince? A so-called 'Prince of ICT with a poor SENA record, a below 35 Test average, and zero overseas centuries across all formats after 5 years in his international career. — Niik (@Niiki099) June 11, 2025 The nickname 'Prince' was originally linked to Brian Lara, one of the greatest batters of all time. Over time, fans also started calling Gill 'Prince' as a sign of admiration and expectations. However, critics say that adding it to his bat sticker was a step too far. Fans pointed out that Tendulkar never used 'God' and Kohli never had 'King' written on their bats despite being globally known by those titles. Sachin Tendulkar never played with a bat that had "God" written over it and Virat Kohli never played with a bat that had "King" written over it. You get tags with your performances and the tags are given by the greats of the game and not from the social media. (@CricCrazyV) June 11, 2025 Not a New Addition, But Now Under Spotlight Interestingly, the word 'Prince' first appeared on Gill's bat during the IPL 2025 season, but it went largely unnoticed. It came into the spotlight recently after the BCCI released official team photos ahead of the England series. Fans zoomed in and spotted the sticker, triggering online discussions and mixed reactions. Despite the online trolling, Gill seems focused on the job. In his first address as captain, he encouraged his teammates to take every practice session seriously. "Let us play every ball with purpose... It's not about surviving but about discovering our game under pressure," Gill said. His calm and determined words suggest that he's aiming to make a strong start to his captaincy era. MRF, in its statement earlier this year, praised Gill as the right man to carry forward the legacy of batting excellence. "With legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Brian Lara having graced the iconic MRF bat, Shubman Gill now carries forward this tradition," the brand said. Upcoming England Series Big Test For Shubhman Gill The upcoming five-match Test series against England will be played from June to August 2025 at Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord's, The Oval (London), and Old Trafford (Manchester). It will be a huge opportunity for Gill to prove his leadership skills and silence the critics.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs Eng: Shubman Gill showcases unique sticker on MRF bat ahead of first Test as India captain
, India's new Test captain, has sparked discussion among cricket fans after the appearance of "Prince" alongside "MRF Genius" on his bat sticker, a departure from previous cricket legends who carried the MRF brand without personal monikers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The revelation came after released photos of Gill and the Indian team in their new kits ahead of India's upcoming tour of England, scheduled from June to August 2025, which marks the beginning of his captaincy tenure. MRF has a long-standing tradition of partnering with cricket's elite batters, including , Brian Lara, AB de Villiers, and , who all carried the "Genius" sticker on their bats. The company's selection of Gill to continue this legacy was considered a significant moment in cricket history. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "With legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Brian Lara having graced the iconic MRF bat, Shubman Gill now carries forward this tradition, inspiring the next generation of cricketers," MRF stated during their collaboration announcement before the Champions Trophy semi-final. 'Nitish Kumar is a guy who can bowl that magic ball': India bowling coach Morne Morkel In his inaugural address as captain, Gill outlined his vision for the team's preparation and approach. "Let us make each and every net session meaningful and let us prepare like that and let us put ourselves under a little bit of pressure when we are going out there. It is not about going out there and surviving. Let us try to find out our game, how we are going to play when we are put under pressure, whether it be bowlers or batsmen. And let is make the practise match and each and every net very meaningful and let us play every ball with purpose," he stated. Quiz: The appointment of Gill as Test captain and his association with MRF represents a new era in Indian cricket. His elevation to this role comes at a time when he has shown impressive performance in ODI cricket, though he is still establishing himself at the Test level. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The series will provide Gill with his first major challenge as Test captain, leading India in one of cricket's most challenging overseas conditions. The matches will be distributed across England's premier cricket grounds, offering varied playing conditions and challenges for the new captain and his team.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Shubman Gill's latest MRF bat irks fans: ‘Sachin Tendulkar never wrote GOD, Virat Kohli never used KING'
Champion. Genius. Master. Legend. MRF bat stickers have used many adjectives to define their association with some of the greatest batters the game of cricket has ever seen. They stuck with Genius the longest. That's what Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli had on their MRF-sponsored bats. MRF has a history of signing the best batters of the generation. When they chose Shubman Gill to carry the legacy forward, it was a landmark moment. It also brought the spotlight firmly on Gill as, despite his outstanding ODI numbers, he was yet to stamp his mark at the Test level. 'With legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Brian Lara having graced the iconic MRF bat, Shubman Gill now carries forward this tradition, inspiring the next generation of cricketers," MRF wrote while announcing the collaboration before the semi-final of the Champions Trophy earlier this year. The purists looked at the Gill-MRF association with the corner of their eyes. Ahead of India's tour of England, which also marks the beginning of a new chapter, hopefully a glittering one, in Gill's cricket career as he takes over as India's Test captain, Gill's MRF bat sticker was once again in the news. This time, because of what was written along with MRF Genius. After the BCCI released photos of Gill and other members of the Indian team sporting the new kits, netizens zoomed in to find the word Prince written on Gill's bat. The Prince moniker was given to Gill as he was considered a superstar in the making but to use that in his bat sticker did not sit well with a section of fans. HT could not confirm whether it was Gill's decision or MRF's to use Prince along with Genius in the bat sticker but it definitely attracted eyeballs. More so because Sachin Tendulkar never used 'God' on his nat sticker despite being fondly called by fans. Neither did Virat Kohli put King on his bat sticker. The same with AB de Villiers and Brian Lara. In fact, Lara was the first to be known as a Prince in cricket. Notably, the word Prince is not new in Gill's bat sticker. It was first introduced in the middle of the IPL but only came to prominence after Gill replaced Rohit Sharma as India's new Test captain. In his first address as captain, Gill urged his players to "find out their game" and play "every ball with purpose". "Let us make each and every net session meaningful and let us prepare like that and let us put ourselves under a little bit of pressure when we are going out there. It is not about going out there and surviving. Let us try to find out our game, how we are going to play when we are put under pressure, whether it be bowlers or batsmen. And let is make the practise match and each and every net very meaningful and let us play every ball with purpose," he concluded. The series will be held from June to August 2025, with matches scheduled at Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord's and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester.
