NEW DELHI: This is interesting. The BCCI Friday “requested” the International Cricket Council to let Mahendra Singh Dhoni support the ‘Balidaan’ insignia on his gloves for the remaining World Cup matches after the ICC asked the Indian cricket board to instruct the Team India wicket-keeper to have it removed.
Dhoni, who was seen sporting the Indian Army insignia on his glove in the opening match at the World Cup in the United Kingdom against South Africa, is an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Parachute Regiment of the Territorial Army and the commando dagger pointed down, with wings extending upwards is part of their emblem.
“The BCCI had already sent a formal request to the ICC for clearance. As per ICC regulations, players can’t sport any commercial, religious or military logo. There was nothing commercial or religious in this regard as we all know,” Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai was quoted as saying by PTI.
“And it is not the paramilitary regimental dagger that is embossed in his gloves. So Dhoni is not in breach of ICC regulations,” he added.
When asked how India would respond in case the ICC insists on the removal of the sign, Rai said, “I think there has been a request to get it removed and not an instruction. As far as we are concerned, the BCCI CEO (Rahul Johri) will be reaching there before the Australia game and will be speaking to the senior ICC officials.”
Claire Furlong, ICC general manager, Strategic Communications said that she was unaware of what action they will take on BCCI’s request. “As of now, I do not know. It would need to be considered by the ICC.”
Furlong had earlier stated that wicketkeeping gloves can only have two manufacturer’s logos, and the presence of a third on Dhoni’s gloves was a breach of conduct. Moreover, symbols denoting ‘political or religious identity’ aren’t permitted as per the ICC rulebook.
For the record, ICC’s Clothing and Equipment Rules and Regulations under G 1 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.”
No surprises for guessing that ICC’s intervention was met with (dare we say faux) outrage from Twitterati back home. With Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju weighing in on the matter, as too various worthies who actually have no locus standi other than to embellish their “patriotic” credentials, the matter has taken heavy political overtones in world cricket’s dominant market. So how the ICC extricates itself out of this kerfuffle if BCCI “acts tough” remains to be seen.
SportzPower’s take: Dhoni’s post retirement plan clearly includes a political agenda. And the ground work for that is assiduously being laid.
