BCCI seeks ICC permission, MS Dhoni will not remove 'Balidaan' Insignia

After ICC asked MS Dhoni to remove the Army emblem from his glovess. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has come to Dhoni’s defence and said that he would not get rid of the emblem.

The BCCI Committee of Administration chief Vinod Rai told PTI that Dhoni would continue wearing the dagger crest on his gloves as it is not a military symbol, Vinod Rai also asserted that the BCCI has got the ICC’s consent for it.

"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," Rai told PTI over phone.

"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.

His statement comes after the ICC requested the BCCI to ask MS Dhoni to remove the emblem from his gloves, refering to the rules out any display of message “ which relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes.”

MS Dhoni is an honorary Lieutenant Coloneal in the Territorial Army and dagger is part of their crest. The CoA chief Vinod Rai’s defence is based on fact that para regimental dagger logo has word “Balidaan” written on it, which is not the case with the crest on Dhoni’s gloves.

The contention may not break the ice with the ICC if it strictly follow the rules. The CoA’s intervention comes after there was social media outcry to the ICC’s dissent.

"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” said Rai.