Since a talented Shubman Gill’s bat sans a sponsor sticker has got everyone wondering, it reminded me of one of the most famous pictures from the game in the 21st century where the subject is curiously without a bat sponsor. Here is the story behind it.

In 2001, Steve Waugh was entering his 16th year of international cricket at the age of 36. In 2001, his bat sponsorship deal with bat manufacturers Gunn and Moore also came to an end. Their Australian bat-making operation wasn’t making enough money and they just didn’t have the money to pay him. In the background, there was also a tussle going on between ICC and the cricketers as ICC at that point only allowed batsmen to use logos of bat manufacturers. Bat manufacturers didn’t have the kind of money to shell out for sponsorships that other players like MRF or Reebok had.

At this point, if you’re wondering that how did MRF manage to find space on Sachin Tendulkar’s bat, well, that’s because they were clever, like many Indian companies before them. MRF or Madras Rubber Factory is a tyre manufacturing company but to circumvent the ICC rules and be on the bat of the most popular cricketer, they just brought a bat factory!

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/447/the-random-cricket-photos-guy-guy/blog/477/random-cricket-photos-steve-waughs-bat-stickerless