Social media pe fans ne unhe “self-obsessed” kehna shuru kar diya, aur X pe toh jese hungama mach gaya. @IndiaToday ne likha, “Shubman Gill gets called ‘self-obsessed’ by fans for having ‘Prince’ engraving on bat” aur @Cricketracker ne bhi isi baat ko repeat kiya, fans ka gussa dikha kar. Ek user, @WhosAdityaNow, ne toh yahan tak kaha ki “shubman getting Prince written on his bat is so cringe he hasn’t even achieved anything yet”. Haan bhai, thodi si tareef khud ke liye bhi toh banta hai, lekin itna bhi kya jaldi thi? Abhi toh Shubman ka career shuru hi hua hai, aur yeh “Prince” wala tag unke liye thoda jaldi nahi ho gaya?
Lekin thoda ruk jao, yeh Shubman Gill koi chhote mote khiladi nahi hain. 24 saal ki umar mein India ke Test captain banne ja rahe hain, aur yeh koi chhoti baat nahi. England ke khilaf 20 June se shuru hone wali five-match Test series mein woh Headingley, Leeds mein apni captaincy ka aagaz karenge. Yeh wahi ground hai jahan 2002 mein Sachin Tendulkar aur Rahul Dravid ne apni shandaar centuries ke saath India ko ek yaadgaar jeet dilayi thi. Shubman ke paas bhi woh talent hai jo unhe ek bada star bana sakta hai. Unka recent form dekho—2023 ke Australia series mein 128 aur 104 ki shandaar innings kheli, jab team pressure mein thi. Yeh aise performances hain jo batate hain ki woh “Prince” ka tag shayad deserve bhi karte hain.
Aur yeh baat bhi toh sochni padegi—cricket mein yeh khud ko brand karna koi nayi baat nahi. Virat Kohli ka “King” wala tag ya MS Dhoni ka “Captain Cool” ka naam, yeh sab bhi toh fans aur media ne hi diya. Shubman ka yeh “Prince” wala stunt shayad unka apna style hai apne aap ko ek alag pehchan dene ka. Agar hum thodi der ke liye unke critics ko side pe rakhein, toh yeh bhi toh maan na padega ki England jaisi team ke khilaf, unke apne ghar mein, captaincy karna koi asaan kaam nahi. England ka pace attack, jisme James Anderson aur Mark Wood jaise bowlers hain, kisi bhi batsman ke liye nightmare ho sakta hai. Aur upar se Headingley ka swinging pitch—yaad hai 2019 ka woh Test jab Ben Stokes ne Australia ke khilaf 135* karke match chheen liya tha? Shubman ke liye yeh series ek bada test hone wala hai.
Lekin thodi si baat unke favor mein bhi toh kar lein. Shubman ka confidence unka sabse bada asset hai. Jab woh crease pe hote hain, unka style, unki timing, aur woh cover drives—sab kuch itna natural lagta hai. 2021 mein Australia ke khilaf Gabba mein unki 91 runs ki innings ne toh pure cricket world ko hila diya tha. Us match mein India ne 328 runs ka target chase karke history bana di thi, aur Shubman ka contribution usme bada tha. Toh yeh “Prince” wala tag shayad unke liye ek reminder hai ki woh bade sapne dekhein, aur unhe poora karne ka dum bhi rakhein. Agar woh is series mein runs banate hain aur team ko lead karte hain, toh yeh controversy toh ek chhota sa joke ban jayega.
Haan, lekin phir bhi, yeh “Prince” wala drama thoda over the top hai na? Apne aap ko itna hype karna, jab career abhi itna lamba hai, thodi si naadaani lagti hai. Fans ka gussa bhi bekaar nahi—@sports_tak ne likha, “‘Who even called you the Prince…’: Shubman Gill’s new bat sticker labelling ‘Prince’ sparks controversy ahead of England tour”. Ab jab team England jaise giant ke khilaf khelne ja rahi hai, toh shayad Shubman ko apne bat se zyada apne performance pe dhyan dena chahiye. Warna yeh “Prince” ka tag ek meme ban kar reh jayega, aur woh bhi koi chhota wala nahi.
