New Delhi, March 10: Following India‘s victory over New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2026, the team captain Surya Kumar Yadav, along with Jay Shah and Gautam Gambhir, visited a Hanuman temple with the trophy. This act has drawn criticism from TMC MP and former cricketer Kirti Azad, who expressed his discontent on social media, stating that the incident contradicts the secular nature of the country.
In an interview, Azad emphasized that sports should transcend religious boundaries, reflecting the diversity of the nation. “You play for the team, which consists of individuals from all religions. When we won in 1983, we had players from various faiths. There is no religion in sports; it belongs to the team,” he remarked, praising players like Sanju Samson and Mohammed Siraj for their contributions.
Azad further questioned the implications of taking the trophy to a temple, asking, “What difference does it make between India and Pakistan?” He noted that while he identifies as a Hindu, he has never mixed religion with sports. “Art has no religion, and that’s why I opposed this act. I have visited temples before and after matches, but our country is secular, and what happened was not right,” he stated.
Previously, Azad had taken to social media to criticize the team’s actions, expressing shame over the incident. He highlighted that the Indian team represents the entire nation, not just the families of individual players like Yadav or Shah. “Siraj never took the trophy to a mosque, and Sanju never took it to a church. This trophy belongs to all Indians of every faith; it is not a victory for any single religion,” he concluded.
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