India’s World Cup opener against South Africa on Wednesday, once again saw former Indian Captain MS Dhoni declare his love for the armed forces at an International forum, after he donned his wicket-keeping gloves with regimental dagger insignia of the Indian Para special forces on them.
However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to get the symbol removed from MS Dhoni’s gloves.
ICC general manager, strategic communications, Claire Furlong had earlier said that the BCCI has been asked to get the sign removed from Dhoni’s gloves.
The army insignia, or the “Balidaan badge”, was spotted when Dhoni affected a stumping to help India pick up a wicket in the 40th over of the South African innings.
However, as per latest reports, BCCI has backed Dhoni’s decision to have the insignia on his keeping gloves.
In fact, BCCI has written to ICC requesting the latter to allow Dhoni to continue to have the symbol on his gloves. This was confirmed by Vinod Rai, chief of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) that is currently heading the Indian Cricket Board. However, Rai refused to give a detailed statement until CoA meeting.
Now, it would be interesting to see if ICC permits Dhoni to keep the symbol.
MS Dhoni was conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Para Special Forces regiment some eight years ago and also underwent training with the Para in 2015.
ICC Rule, the main reason for this controversy
Section G1 under Clothing and Equipment category of the ICC rules states ” Players and team officials shall not be permitted to wear, display or otherwise convey messages through arm bands or other items affixed to clothing or equipment (“Personal Messages”) unless approved in advance by both the player or team official’s board and the ICC Cricket Operations Department. Approval shall not be granted for messages which relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes. The ICC shall have the final say in determining whether any such message is approved. For the avoidance of doubt, where a message is approved by the player or team official’s board but subsequently disapproved by the ICC’s Cricket Operations Department, the player or team official shall not be permitted to wear, display or otherwise convey such message in international matches.”
In 2014, a similar incident had happened. In an India-England test match, Moeen Ali had come out on the field with a wrist band stating the words “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine”.
Although England Cricket Board (ECB) had allowed Moeen to wear them as these quotes were on “humanitarian grounds”, match referee David Boon, asked Ali not to continue wearing these particular bands.