Virender Sehwag requests BCCI to write "Bharat" instead of "India" on ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Jersey

Virender Sehwag has come up with a big suggestion ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

India’s 2011 World Cup and 2007 T20 World Cup-winning cricketer Virender Sehwag has made an interesting request to the BCCI about the name of the nation that should be used on the Team India jersey for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023.

The tournament will begin on October 5 and India will be hosting the event as a solo host for the first time and third instance of India being hosts.

The tournament will get underway on October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with a match between New Zealand and the reigning champions, England.

The Indian squad will play Australia in their tournament opener on October 8 in Chennai, while their much-anticipated encounter versus Pakistan will take place on October 14 in Ahmedabad in front of nearly 100,000 spectators.

On November 19, Ahmedabad will also host the competition's final.  

“Team India nahin Team Bharat”- Sehwag to BCCI

Now as the BCCI announced the Indian team's 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023, former India cricketer Sehwag urged the BCCI to make a unique change for the tournament.

He said that BCCI should use the name “Bharat” on the team’s World Cup jerseys instead of “India” which was given by the Britishers.

He posted on X: “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 Bharat on our chest.”

He gave examples of the Netherlands and Myanmar which changed their names to pre-British era.

“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,” he posted.

Sehwag also shared the BCCI’s post announcing the Team India squad and mentioned, it should be Team Bharat.

He said: “Team India nahin #TeamBharat. This World Cup as we cheer for Kohli , Rohit , Bumrah, Jaddu  , may we have Bharat in our hearts and the players wear jersey which has “Bharat”  @JayShah”