Sunil Gavaskar, the 1983 World Cup champion and one of cricket's most illustrious figures, recently offered his thoughts on the ongoing "India v Bharat discussion" that has captured the country’s attention. Celebrities and sports figures have expressed their opinions on the contentious name-change controversy.
Also Read: Virender Sehwag wants BCCI to change Indian team's name to Bharat
Gavaskar offered his opinions on the contentious India vs. Bharat controversy and acknowledged that "Bharat" still serves as the official name during a discussion on India Today, but that if a change is to be made, it should be incorporated into everything. He said, "That is the original name, Bharat. So it has a nice ring to it. But it has to be done at the official level, the government level, and the BCCI level for the team to be called the Bharat Cricket Team.
“But changes have occurred. Burma is now called Myanmar. So the original name can come in, and I do not see much of a problem. But, basically, it needs to come in everything," added the 74-year-old.
Another Cricketer, Virender Sehwag, was one of the first to start the conversation regarding the jersey having ‘Bharat instead of India. He wrote on Twitter, “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 and JayShah to ensure that this World Cup our players have Bharat on our chest
However, the BCCI has not responded to this yet, and it is still unknown whether the jersey will feature ‘Bharat’ or ‘India’. More clarity regarding the issue is expected to come after the Special session of the Parliament, which will take place from September 18-22.
