Virender Sehwag Requests BCCI To Use ‘Bharat’ Instead Of ‘India’ On Indian Jerseys For Upcoming World Cup

Amidst this name change chaos, one of the social media users also suggested Sehwag should have been the MP before Gautam Gambhir.

Sehwag also came up with a few examples of other nations that had changed their names.

Source : Getty

Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has requested the BCCI that India should be referred to as "Bharat" on the Indian players’ jerseys for the upcoming ODI World Cup. The former batter who was a part of the 2011 World Cup squad took to his social media handle and shared his thoughts.

After the controversy emerged over the matter that invitations for a September 9 dinner at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during the G20 summit had referred to President Droupadi Murmu as “President of Bharat” instead of “President of India”.

I have always believed a name should be one which instills pride in us.
We are Bhartiyas ,India is a name given by the British & it has been long overdue to get our original name ‘Bharat’ back officially. I urge the @BCCI @JayShah to ensure that this World Cup our players have… https://t.co/R4Tbi9AQgA

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) September 5, 2023

“I have always believed a name should be one which instills pride in us. We are Bhartiyas, India is a name given by the British and it has been long overdue to get our original name ‘Bharat’ back officially. I urge the BCCI (secretary) Jay Shah to ensure that in this World Cup, our players have Bharat on our chest,” Sehwag posted on X.

Sehwag also came up with a few examples of other nations that had changed their names.

In the 1996 World Cup ,Netherlands came to play in the World cup in Bharat as Holland. In 2003 when we met them, they were the Netherlands & continue to be so.
Burma have changed the name given by the British back to Myanmar.
And many others have gone back to their original name

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) September 5, 2023

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan also tweeted, “T 4759 - भारत माता की जय”.

T 4759 - 🇮🇳 भारत माता की जय 🚩

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) September 5, 2023

Amidst this name change chaos, one of the social media users also suggested Sehwag should have been the MP before Gautam Gambhir.

I am not at all interested in politics. Have been approached by both major parties in the last two elections. My view is that most entertainers or sportsman should not enter politics as most are their for their own ego and hunger for power and barely spare genuine time for… https://t.co/wuodkpp6HT

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) September 5, 2023

Sehwag in reply said, “I am not at all interested in politics. Have been approached by both major parties in the last two elections. My view is that most entertainers or sportsman should not enter politics as most are their for their own ego and hunger for power and barely spare genuine time for people, few are exceptions but generally most only do PR. I love being involved with cricket and commentating and being a part time MP whenever convenient is not something i ever aspire for.”

As per the report by the Indian Express, a special session of Parliament is scheduled for September 18-22 where a proposal is likely to be presented to remove the word ‘India’ from the Constitution. The report also stated that sections of the ruling dispensation have been calling that  “India, that is Bharat” be removed from Article 1 of the Constitution and only the word ‘Bharat’ be used.