On his ‘Bharat vs Pak’ X post, Sehwag makes this request to BCCI's Jay Shah

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag's resurfaced social media post has gained significant attention amid the ‘India’ vs. ‘Bharat’ naming controversy and speculations of the country being renamed.

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During the ongoing controversy about possibly changing the country's name, an old social media post by Sehwag from a recent rain-affected Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan has gone viral on social media. In the post on X (formerly Twitter), Sehwag used the hashtag #BHAvsPAK instead of the usual #INDvsPAK. This move opened a barrage of reactions on social media, with one user saying, “India to Bharat: Sehwag knew this before anyone else.”

Responding to the buzz, the former Indian opener supported the Bharat name and said that he believes a name should evoke pride. He mentioned that “Bharatiyas” should use the original name "Bharat" officially instead of "India," which was a name given by the British. Sehwag also urged the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and Secretary Jay Shah to consider having "Bharat" on the players' jerseys in the upcoming World Cup tournament.

Check Sehwag's X post here:

Sehwag pointed out instances where other countries, like the Netherlands and Myanmar, have reverted to their original names. He emphasized that it's time for India to do the same.

In response to the BCCI's announcement of the Indian World Cup 2023 squad, Sehwag advocated for the team to be referred to as "Team Bharat" rather than "Team India." “This World Cup as we cheer for Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah, Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja), may we have Bharat in our hearts and the players wear jersey which has “Bharat” @ JayShah,” he wrote in another X post.

While Sehwag's comments received mixed reactions on social media, he clarified that he has no interest in politics despite being approached by major political parties in the past. “My view is that most entertainers or sportsmen should not enter politics as most are there for their own ego and hunger for power and barely spare genuine time for people, few are exceptions but generally most only do PR,” said Sehwag, adding that he prefers staying involved in cricket and commentary.