'Sachin Tendulkar Never Used ‘God’, Virat Kohli Didn’t Write ‘King’: Fans Troll Shubman Gill For ‘Prince’ Bat Sticker

Shubman Gill’s Test captaincy debut is under scrutiny after fans spotted "Prince" written on his MRF bat sticker. Critics trolled him, citing his modest Test record. With a big England series ahead, Gill now has a point to prove.

Shubhman Gill Test Captaincy

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. pic.twitter.com/SKxiUKT0pa

— 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.