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The presence of board officials wearing the Indian team jersey and participating in the victory parade for India’s T20 World Cup win has drawn criticism from former cricketer Surinder Khanna. Khanna expressed surprise at the sight of board officials waving the national flag, noting that cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar always emphasised that the Indian team jersey should be worn only by those playing for India. He stated that the parade should have been exclusively for the players who achieved the victory.
“Gavaskar always used to say that the Indian team jersey can only be worn if you are playing for India. It can’t be readily available for those who aren’t playing for India,” an amused Khanna told CricBlogger after watching the victory parade on television.
When told that fans could purchase the team jersey for Rs 4,500, Khanna, who has served as an IPL governing council member, dismissed it as a separate issue. He reiterated that the parade was meant for the players who earned the victory, and only they should have been present in the celebratory event.
Aditya Verma, known for advocating accountability in the BCCI, also found it odd to see board officials in the victory parade. He acknowledged the significance of the players’ hard work and the joy of the fans but felt that the officials’ participation in the parade was inappropriate. “Those playesrs who shed their blood and sweat on the field and emerge from140 crore Hindustanis, it was a good sight to see the players out there in the victory march. But seeing the board officials in the victory parade gave me a tickling feeling,” Verma said.
Despite the criticism, the celebration in Mumbai was a moment of historical euphoria for many.
