NEW DELHI: Former opener Virender Sehwag has asked for a change in the name of the Indian cricket team amid calls to change India's name to Bharat. Sehwag said on the X platform that "Team Bharat" should be written on the jersey instead of "Team India".
Sehwag also noted that while cheering for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and many other players in the ODI Cricket World Cup, the word Bharat should be in mind. Sehwag's note tagged BCCI secretary Jai Shah to change the wording of India on the jersey to Bharat.
India is a name given by the British & it has been long overdue to get our original name ‘Bharat’ back officially. In the tweet, Sehwag said, "I urge BCCI to ensure that this World Cup our players have Bharat on our chest" Sehwag made the demand by sharing the 15-member Team India squad list for the ODI World Cup team tweeted by BCCI.
I have always believed a name should be one which instills pride in us.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) September 5, 2023
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
Sehwag's demand has been discussed in social media in the context of reports that the central government may bring a resolution in a special parliamentary session to change the name of the country from the Republic of India to the Republic of Bharat.