Former India opener Virender Sehwag calls for adding 'Bharat' to India's ODI World Cup jersey

Former India opener Virender Sehwag calls for adding 'Bharat' to India's ODI World Cup jersey

Virender Sehwag calls for adding 'Bharat' to India's ODI World Cup jersey

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag on Tuesday (September 5) called for adding 'Bharat' to Team India's ODI World Cup Jersey. Sehwag took to his official account on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to request BCCI secretary Jay Shah to implement the changes ahead of the mega event, which is to be held in India from October 5 to November 19.

Sehwag wrote on X, "Team India nahin #TeamBharat. (Not Team India, this is Team Bharat). 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. Here's the post:

He further stated, “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 and 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."

“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 @JayShah to ensure that this World Cup our players have Bharat on our chest,” Sehwag added.

On Tuesday, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced India's 15-man squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup, which kicks off in India early next month. The Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue have primarily stuck with their Asia Cup squad, dropping Prasidh Krishna, Tilak Varma and reserve player Sanju Samson. They will open their campaign in the forthcoming ICC event versus Australia on October 8 in Chennai.

CALLS GROW FOR INDIA TO BECOME BHARAT

It is to be noted that top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hinted that the official name 'Republic of India' is set to undergo a change. "REPUBLIC OF BHARAT - happy and proud that our civilisation is marching ahead boldly towards AMRIT KAAL," Sarma wrote on X. Since then, the voices have been increasing to rename India as Bharat.

As per Article 1 of the Indian Constitution, it declares that 'India, that is Bharat' is a 'Union of States'. Further, the inaugural article of India's constitution defines India's territory as well as its nomenclature-related aspects.

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