Virender Sehwag urges BCCI to rename Team India as Bharat; Sunil Gavaskar also backs country's original name

India World Cup 2023 Squad: Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag on Tuesday (September 5) requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah to rename the Indian Cricket Team as Team Bharat.

Social media has been buzzing with the 'India vs Bharat' debate since Tuesday morning after the Congress party claimed that the ruling NDA government is planning to change the country's name from the 'Republic of India' to the 'Republic of Bharat'.

Virender Sehwag requests BCCI

While the opposition parties and the ruling BJP are busy taking on each other in favour or against the 'Republic of Bharat' debate, Sehwag on his social media handle X, formerly known as Twitter, welcomed the move to return to Bharat, the nation's original name.

"I have always believed a name should be one which instils 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," Sehwag wrote.

"In the 1996 World Cup, the 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," the Nawab of Najafgarh wrote further on the micro-blogging website.

Soon after the BCCI announced the 15-member squad of Indian national men's cricket team for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, starting October 5, Sehwag suggested the board should use Team Bharat instead of Team India. The right-handed batter during the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023, used the hashtag #BHAvsPAK.

Sunil Gavaskar on Team Bharat former India captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar, when asked if the Indian cricket team should be called Bharat, said on India Today that there is no harm in calling the team by the country's original name.

"Bharat has a nice ring to it. Provided all permissions are taken at BCCI and government levels no harm in calling the team by the country's original name," the 74-year-old said.

Debate over India vs Bharat was triggered after the Congress claimed that the Rashtrapati Bhavan had sent out an invite for a G20 dinner which had 'President of Bharat' inscribed on it.