MS Dhoni Can't Wear 'Balidaan' Insignia On Gloves, Says ICC After BCCI Asked Them For Permission

Cricket¡¯s world governing body (ICC) put a lid on the raging controversy over the logo on MS Dhoni¡¯s gloves at the World Cup by saying regulations do not permit the India wicketkeeper to sport such insignia.

¡°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 wicketkeeping gloves at the ICC Men¡¯s Cricket World Cup 2019.

¡°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,¡± ICC said in a release sent to the media late on Friday.

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Earlier in the day, Dhoni had conveyed to the BCCI that should the insignia of the regimental dagger on his wicketkeeping gloves be perceived as breach of the International Cricket Council¡¯s (ICC) rule book, he would ¡°happily¡± take them off in the matches to follow.

The ICC had earlier ¡°requested¡± the BCCI to look into the matter after television cameras captured the insignia on Dhoni¡¯s gloves in the match against South Africa on Wednesday. The governing body¡¯s underlined rule on the matter states that players cannot wear any logo or a written word on their accessories that carries a personal message.

While Dhoni certainly deserves to wear the ¡®Balidaan¡¯ logo with pride, considering he went through a rigorous training with the elite para regiment four years ago to earn it, the wicketkeeper-batsman cannot wear it in a tournament such as the World Cup.

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Soon after the controversy broke, Dhoni remained in touch with officials at the BCCI who alerted him about what the rules say. In line with it, Dhoni told the board that he ¡°does not want any further stress¡± on the matter in the middle of such an important tournament and will therefore follow the written word.

If not for the personal message that the ¡®Balidaan¡¯ logo carries, the BCCI has found no other violation on Dhoni¡¯s part because the insignia ¨C that means ¡®sacrifice¡¯ ¨C is neither commercial, religious or military in nature.

However, the ICC thinks otherwise.

Sources in the Indian team said they stand behind Dhoni¡¯s decision to wear the emblem considering how closely they¡¯ve seen their former captain involved with the elite para regiment after he was conferred the title of lieutenant colonel. However, the same team members added that ¡® Mahi bhai will be the first to understand and not wear it, should it not be under the rules of the tournament¡±.

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In an interview to a news agency on Friday, BCCI¡¯s court-appointed administrator Vinod Rai said that ¡°BCCI stands behind Dhoni in the matter¡± and added that the insignia was neither religious nor commercial in nature.

¡°It is not the paramilitary regimental dagger that is embossed in his gloves. So, Dhoni is not in breach of ICC regulations,¡± Rai was quoted as saying. However, the BCCI officials left the chief of CoA misinformed about all rules that surround this subject.