The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected a request made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to allow wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to display an Army logo on his gloves.
Social media was abuzz with support for the former India skipper after the International Cricket Council (ICC) asked him to remove the “Balidaan Badge” from his wicketkeeping gloves. Media reports said that the Committee of Administrators (CoA) running Indian cricket had sent in a request to the ICC asking the game’s parent body to allow Dhoni to have the logo on his gloves. But the request has been rejected.
Reports said that the ICC has made it clear that it is not possible to approve the gloves with the ‘Balidaan Badge’.
The ICC has told the BCCI that the regulations for ICC events do not permit any individual message and that the logo also breaches the regulations in relation to what is permitted on wicketkeeping gloves.
During the CoA meeting in Mumbai on Friday, one of the members had said that an approval had been sought so that Dhoni can continue wearing the gloves with the logo.
“Yes, we are aware of the issue with Dhoni’s badge. But this is not a political or religious sentiment and we have requested the ICC to grant permission to Dhoni to sport the badge on his gloves,” the COA member was reported as saying by news agency IANS.
An ICC official had said that the council would consider the request if the BCCI convinced them that the logo did not have any political or religious message.
India’s opening game in the ongoing World Cup saw Dhoni spotted with the regimental dagger insignia of the Indian Para Special Forces on his wicketkeeping gloves.
The Army insignia was spotted on Dhoni’s gloves as television replays showed him stumping Andile Phehlukwayo in the 40th over of the innings bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal.
‘Balidaan’ is a distinct insignia of the special forces, which form part of the Parachute Regiment. It has a commando dagger pointed downwards, with upward-extending wings extending from the blade and a scroll superimposed on the blade with ‘Balidaan’ inscribed in Devanagari. Only Paramilitary Commandos are allowed to wear the Balidaan Badge.
Dhoni, who was conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Parachute Regiment in 2011, had also undergone training under the Para Brigade in 2015.
