Dhoni glove row: ICC rejects BCCI 'request' to allow Army insignia

The ICC had objected to display of the insignia on Dhoni's wicketkeeping gloves

dhoni-army-insignia-gloves-afp Mahendra Singh Dhoni sporting the 'balidaan badge' (encircled) on his gloves during the 2019 World Cup group stage match against South Africa at the Rose Bowl in Southampton | AFP

The ICC rejected BCCI's request to allow Mahendra Singh Dhoni to sport the Indian Army 'Balidaan' badge on his wicketkeeping gloves. The BCCI had sent a formal request to the ICC for clearance, after the world cricket body objected to display of the insignia on Dhoni's gloves.

In India's opening match against South Africa on Wednesday, Dhoni was spotted by television cameras with the insignia of the Parachute Regiment of Indian Army's Special Forces on his wicketkeeping gloves. Subsequently, the ICC asked the BCCI to get the symbol removed from Dhoni's gloves. ICC regulations do not permit the display of messages that relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes during an international match on any ICC equipment and clothing.

"The ICC has responded to the BCCI to confirm the logo displayed by MS Dhoni in the previous match is not permitted to be worn on his wicket-keeping gloves at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019," an ICC statement said.

"The regulations for ICC events do not permit any individual message or logo to be displayed on any items of clothing or equipment. In addition to this, the logo also breaches the regulations in relation to what is permitted on wicketkeeper gloves."

The rule-book allows for only one sponsor's logo on the wicketkeeping gloves. In Dhoni's case, he already sports an SG logo on his gloves.

The ‘Balidaan’ insignia has a commando dagger pointed downwards on a maroon background, with upward-extending wings extending from the blade and a scroll superimposed on the blade with ‘Balidaan’ inscribed in Devanagari. And only paramilitary commandos are allowed to wear it.

Dhoni is paratrooper of the Territory Army unit of the Indian Army's Parachute Regiment, and is an honorary Lt. Colonel.

The Army has already distanced itself from the controversy, saying that the insignia on Dhoni's gloves is different from the original badge.

Dhoni had received support from his Chennai Super Kings and India teammate Suresh Raina, former pacer R.P. Singh, London Olympics bronze medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and sprinter Hima Das.

Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, however, said Dhoni should remove the logo and follow the rules.

“A player should go by the rules and regulations. If it's against that, then Dhoni will have to remove it,” Bhutia told a TV channel.

Earlier in March, Team India paid tribute to Pulwama martyrs by donning Army caps in an ODI against Australia. On that occasion, BCCI had clarified in a tweet that the camouflage caps were donned by the Men in Blue as tribute to the 40 CRPF security personnel who lost their lives in a terror attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.