Shubman Gill, who has recently been named India’s Test captain, has caught everyone’s attention with a unique sticker on his bat. Ahead of the Test series against England, fans noticed that Gill’s bat carried the word “Prince” along with the famous “MRF Genius” logo. This is different from past legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, AB de Villiers, and Virat Kohli, who only had “MRF Genius” written on their bats.
The change was first seen in photos released by the BCCI, showing Team India in their new kits. These photos were taken before the team left for their England tour, which will run from June to August 2025 and marks Gill’s first series as captain.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗸𝘀 – 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗶𝗹𝗹 #TeamIndia | #ENGvIND | @ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/dhmc9m6apU
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 11, 2025
MRF, a brand that has long been associated with some of the greatest batsmen in the world, officially welcomed Gill as the newest member of their elite list. In a statement, they said:
“With legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Brian Lara having used the iconic MRF bat, Shubman Gill now carries forward this legacy and inspires the next generation of cricketers.”
Read more: Ravi Shastri Shares His Thoughts on Virat Kohli’s Sudden Retirement from Test Cricket
In his first speech as Test captain, Gill shared his goals with the team. He encouraged everyone to take practice seriously and play every session with purpose. He said:
“Let’s not just survive out there. Let’s learn how we respond under pressure — whether we’re batting or bowling. Let’s make every net session count and play each ball with meaning.”
Gill’s appointment marks a new beginning for Indian Test cricket. While he has done well in One Day Internationals (ODIs), he is still building his reputation in the Test format.
Also See: Sourav Ganguly Criticizes BCCI for Leaving Out Shreyas Iyer from England Test Series
This upcoming series in England will be a big test for Gill, as the conditions there are known to be challenging for visiting teams. Matches will be played at top cricket stadiums across the country, giving Gill and his team the chance to prove themselves in different conditions.
