On December 23, the Delhi High Court ordered individuals accused of misusing Gavaskar’s name, image and voice to remove all infringing content from social media and e-commerce platforms within 72 hours. The court further determined that if the defendant did not comply, the platforms themselves would be obliged to remove the content.
Gavaskar had approached the court alleging unauthorized sale of merchandise, misleading social media posts and false attribution of statements that could damage his credibility as a senior cricket commentator. The case was heard by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, with senior advocate Gopal Jain representing Gavaskar, briefed by Krida Legal. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for May 22, 2026.
The ruling is of particular importance because it is one of the first judicial interventions in India that explicitly guarantees the personality and publicity rights of an athlete. The court accepted concerns about obscene, misleading and commercially exploitative content circulating online. While recognizing the role of humor and satire on social media, the court noted that content that prima facie infringes on an individual’s personality rights cannot be allowed.
It is worth noting that personality rights refer to an individual’s legal right to control, protect and monetize the use of their name, image, voice and identity. Gavaskar’s petition stated how unchecked digital misuse, especially through the virality of social media, AI-generated content and unauthorized merchandising, can cause reputational damage and commercial exploitation.
The order places Gavaskar alongside a list of Indian celebrities who have sought similar protection. Film personalities like Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Jackie Shroff have all been granted court-backed guarantees against misuse of their persona.
Athletes worldwide have long recognized the commercial value of personality rights. Icons like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have actively protected their names and likenesses through trademarks and licensing agreements.
Get every cricket update! Follow us:
#Sunil #Gavaskar #Indian #athlete #protection #personality #rights