The 17-time Grand Slam winner shares the same sponsor as the Indian team and last weekend posted a picture on his Facebook page of him admiring a blue playing jersey with the caption "Dressing up for a Gentleman's game today. #BleedBlue."
"It was more of a Nike thing to be quite honest," said the Swiss star on the eve of the Dubai Open. "It was a Nike campaign they had because I met some of the Indian players and I had just spent some time in India so they
presented the shirt to me.
"I support South Africa, and everybody knows that. The idea wasn't to spark any fire and I'm sorry if it did that."
The photograph certainly irritated Federer's legion of fans in Pakistan.
Federer has certainly gone public in his support for the Springboks rugby team in the past, and has strong South African connections. His mother Lynette is from South Africa and the Roger Federer Foundation has raised large sums to help disadvantaged children in the country.
Nevertheless, Federer sought to clarify his attitude to cricket, which is currently being showcased at the ongoing World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The Indian team, he said, he supported "a little bit." Whether or not he followed cricket, "really depends where you are," he added.
"When I'm in America, definitely not. When I'm in Europe, definitely not. But then when I'm in Australia and here (in the UAE), a little bit sometimes. So it really depends where I am in the world which sport I follow."
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