2019 Cricket World Cup: Dhoni will have to remove dagger insignia from gloves, says ICC

ICC says no question of allowing extra logo, Dhoni must remove Army insignia

June 07, 2019 10:14 pm | Updated December 03, 2021 08:38 am IST - London/Mumbai

ICC asks M.S. Dhoni to remove the dagger insignia on his wicket-keeping gloves during the World Cup despite BCCI’s assertion that it was not a military symbol.

ICC asks M.S. Dhoni to remove the dagger insignia on his wicket-keeping gloves during the World Cup despite BCCI’s assertion that it was not a military symbol.

M.S. Dhoni’s wicket-keeping gloves have always been an object of awe among the cricketing fraternity.

The manner in which he pouches catches, his lightning stumpings and reverse flick run-outs have further enhanced a halo built around his muscular batting exploits.

But little could he have imagined that his wicket-keeping gloves would actually become the focus of a raging controversy that has set social media abuzz with a torrent of views of varied persuasions.

It started with Wednesday’s World Cup match at Southampton, where India defeated South Africa by six wickets.

Lost in the reporting of the day’s cricketing exploits was the sighting of an additional logo on Dhoni’s gloves.

The logo, an Army signage depicting a regimental dagger insignia of the Indian Para Special Forces, raised the hackles within cricket’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), as players are only allowed to sport two logos on gloves.

Dhoni holds the rank of an honorary Lieutenant Colonel and his assigned unit is the 106 Territorial Army Battalion (Parachute Regiment).

The ‘violation’ by Dhoni was twofold. Players are allowed only two logos on their gloves and with the Army insigna, the Indian wicketkeeper’s gloves now sported three. Secondly, there was debate whether the insignia constituted a political statement as the ICC’s rules on clothing and equipment do not permit a player to sport messages that are of a political, religious or racial nature.

Ever since news broke about the ICC’s request to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asking Dhoni to remove the extra logo, a nationalistic narrative emerged on Twitter.

The BCCI’s Committee of Administrators chief Vinod Rai backed Dhoni and said: “The BCCI has already sent a formal request to the ICC for clearance.”

No politics: Rijiju

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju also offered support to Dhoni. “I am hopeful that the BCCI will take up this matter with the ICC. M.S. Dhoni’s identity is the country’s identity, Army’s identity and it is not politics. So, BCCI should stand with Dhoni,” Mr. Rijiju told reporters.

The ICC, however, made it clear on Friday that the extra logo had to go.

“The ICC has responded to the BCCI to confirm the logo displayed by M.S. 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,” it said in a statement. “The regulations... 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.”

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