India skipper Rohit Sharma has been enjoying the success of guiding his side to the T20 World Cup triumph on June 29 in Barbados. His superb leadership and courageous hitting in the top order have garnered him a great deal of appreciation.

This victory was India's first ICC trophy in 11 years, and they became the first unbeaten side to win the T20 World Cup. However, amid the festivities, a dispute erupted on July 8 over Rohit's new profile photo on the social networking site X.

Fans were incensed by Rohit's new profile photo and accused him of "disrespecting Indian flag." The image, which shows Rohit planting the Indian flag at the Kensington Oval in Barbados following India's championship win over South Africa, was meant to represent India's supremacy in cricket.

disrespecting Indian flag
Image Source: GQ

Fans, on the other hand, had a different take on it, arguing that the act represented territorial ownership and was improper on foreign soil. The Indian flag in the picture looked to be touching the ground, therefore that was the main cause for concern.

One such clause is included in the 1971 Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act: "The flag shall not be allowed intentionally to touch the ground or the floor or trail in water." Fans brought this up. The criticism of Rohit grew stronger as a result of this alleged transgression.

To further fuel the controversy, Rohit said in a video released by the BCCI that he had scraped pieces of the pitch and a blade of grass and put it in his mouth to capture the event.

He talked about how much he connected to the field and the place where their aspirations came true. "I wanted to take something away with me," he said, highlighting the importance of the occasion and the location.

The contributions Rohit made to India's cricket success are indisputable, notwithstanding the criticism. India's protracted ICC trophy drought came to an end thanks in large part to his guidance. In spite of the fact that Indian flags are frequently strewn across the streets on national holidays like Independence Day and Republic Day, this occurrence has brought attention to the sensitive nature of national symbols.

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