New Delhi. While there is an atmosphere of celebration in the entire country after India’s stunning victory in the T20 World Cup, a new controversy has also come to light regarding taking the trophy to the temple. India won the title by defeating New Zealand in the final match played at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Under the leadership of captain Suryakumar Yadav, Team India created history by performing brilliantly. After this victory, the players were engrossed in celebration. Meanwhile, the next day Surya along with ICC President Jay Shah and team head coach Gautam Gambhir reached Hanuman Temple in Ahmedabad. Here Captain Suryakumar Yadav was seen offering prayers in the temple with the trophy. As soon as pictures and videos of this incident surfaced, a debate broke out on social media.

Kirti Azad raised objection
1983 World Cup winning team member and Congress Lok Sabha MP Kirti Azad has reacted to the matter. Posting on social media platform X, he wrote that Team India represents the entire country, hence it is not right to link the trophy to any one religion. He said that when India won the World Cup in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev, there were players of all religions in the team, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. At that time the team saw the trophy as a victory for the entire country.

Kirti Azad wrote in her post, “Shame on Team India. When we won the World Cup in 1983, our team saw the trophy as a victory for the whole of India. Why is the trophy being taken to a temple today? If it is so, then why not to a mosque, church or gurudwara?” After his statement, the discussion has intensified in both cricket and political circles.

Questions arising on religion and national team
Kirti Azad also said in her statement that the Indian team does not belong to any one person or family but to the entire country. Giving examples, he said that there are players of different religions in the team, like Mohammed Siraj and Sanju Samson. According to him, if players visit any religious place as per their personal faith then it is their personal matter, but linking the trophy to any religious place can give rise to controversy.

He also said that Sanju Samson performed brilliantly in the T20 World Cup and was also chosen Man of the Tournament. In such a situation, the question arises whether other players can also take the trophy to their respective religious places? According to him, this trophy belongs to 140 crore Indians and it should not be seen as the victory of any one religion.

This tradition has happened before also
However, this is not the first time that a captain of the Indian cricket team has reached the temple with the trophy. Earlier, after winning the T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma also visited the famous Shri Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai. Jai Shah was also present with him at that time and both of them took the blessings of Lord Ganesha. The trophy was taken to the temple for worship and was also garlanded with flowers.

Many players in the cricket world are visiting their respective religious places to seek blessings after the victory. Some people call it a personal belief of the players, while others have a different view, seeing it as a symbol of the national team.

Debate broke out on social media
After the pictures of going to the temple with the trophy surfaced, debate on this issue has started on social media also. Some people are calling it the devotion and tradition of the players, while some are looking at it from the perspective of stability. If this matter has become a topic of discussion in both sports and politics.