Delhi High Court Rejects Plea Against BCCI For Using ‘Team India’ Name, Calls it “Sheer Wastage of Time”

The Delhi High Court emphatically rejected a plea arguing that the private entity BCCI is not authorized to use the name ‘Team India,’ calling the petition a “sheer wastage of time.”

October 9, 2025: The Delhi High Court has decisively rejected a petition that sought to bar state-run media, including Doordarshan and All India Radio (Prasar Bharati), from using terms like “Team India” or the “Indian National Cricket Team” to refer to the squad managed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela slammed the plea, calling it a “sheer wastage of Court’s time and your time.”

Allegation of ‘False Impression’

The plea, filed by lawyer Reepak Kansal, argued that the BCCI is a private entity and has no government sanction to use the national team name. According to the petition, by allowing Prasar Bharati platforms to refer to the team as “Team India” and display the Indian National Flag, the government is creating a “false impression” in the public mind.

The petitioner claimed this practice implicitly confers national status and “unwarranted commercial legitimacy” on a private association, thereby misleading citizens into believing that the BCCI officially represents the country. The purpose of the petition was purportedly to “safeguard public trust” and prevent the misuse of national symbols.

Court Highlights Global Sports Rules

However, the High Court was quick to rebuke the petitioner, reminding the counsel of the established framework governing sports globally.

Justice Gedela sternly questioned the lawyer’s understanding of the sports administration. “Are you aware how the entire ecosystem in sports globally functions? Are you aware of the Rules of the International Olympic Committee which say that there should not be any interference by any State?” the Court remarked.

The bench pointed out the global precedence where government intervention in sports federations is strongly discouraged, stating that “in the past, whenever government intervention is there in the federation of sports, the Indian Olympic Committee has come down very heavily.”

Ultimately, the Court found the petition to be unmaintainable and a waste of judicial time, ensuring that the long-standing name of the national cricket squad remains unchallenged in the courtroom.