Virender Sehwag bats for Bharat, urges BCCI to change name on Indian players' jersey

Amid the speculations over the government's plans to change the country's name from India to Bharat, which triggered controversy, former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has voiced his opinion in favour of renaming the country. In a social media post, the ace cricketer has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to change the name on the jersey of Indian players participating in the upcoming ICC World Cup.

"I have always believed a name should be one that 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 and Jay Shah to ensure that this World Cup our players have Bharat on our chest," Sehwag said in the post shared on X (formerly Twitter).

"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 in the Netherlands and continue to be so. Burma has changed the name given by the British back to Myanmar. And many others have gone back to their original names," he said.

Sehwag also shared an old video in which Sadhguru advocates renaming the country's name.

Sehwag's social media post has received mixed reactions from X users.