While opinions were divided over the decision to rename the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground in Delhi after the late BJP leader Arun Jaitley, former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir backed the move. The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) recently decided to rename the century-old venue after Jaitley who passed away a few days ago after a prolonged illness. Jaitley, who was 66, had a close connection with cricket administration and served as the president of the DDCA for over a decade.

Gambhir, who joined politics after quitting cricket last December and won in the Lok Sabha election this year to become an MP from Delhi, was pleased with the decision to name the stadium after the departed soul. He said it was Jaitley who had given Delhi a world-class stadium and rued that the renaming should have been done when the man was alive as that would have been a “perfect gift” for him.

The renaming will take place at a ceremony in September. Also a stand in the stadium will be named after current India captain Virat Kohli. “I am very happy because he deserves this. He gave Delhi a world-class stadium with world-class facilities. It (renaming of stadium) is a good thing but it would have been much better if it was renamed when he was alive. It would have been a perfect gift for him,” Deccan Chronicle cited reports quoting Gambhir as saying.

Gambhir also wants Yamuna Sports Complex to be renamed after Jaitley

The 37-year-old Gautam Gambhir, who opened for India across all three formats and scored 10,000 international runs, said he has also proposed to name Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi after Jaitley. “In my constituency, it is the biggest sports complex, Yamuna sports complex. I think it will be a perfect gift for him from me if Yamuna sports complex is renamed as Arun Jaitley sports complex.

I have proposed it in the committee and if it gets clear, everyone will be happy especially the East Delhi constituency,” the East Delhi MP said. Jaitley breathed his last on August 24.