As the World Cup matches continue to take place and keep fans on the edge, M.S. Dhoni has been under controversy for having a Balidan insignia on his glove and the internet is just not ready to get over it. The ICC on Thursday requested the BCCI to have an insignia removed from M.S. Dhoni’s gloves, citing ICC regulations. And all hell broke loose!
For those of you who don’t know, the Balidan is a distinct insignia of India’s special forces, which form part of the Parachute Regiment and Dhoni is an honorary lieutenant colonel in India’s Parachute Regiment. According to ICC regulations, players can’t sport anything that is related to political, religious or racial activities or causes.
The hashtags #Dhoni and #DhoniKeepTheGlove have been trending on Twitter ever since the insignia was noticed!
Cricketer Sunil Gavaskar tried knocking some sense into the masses:
Sunil Gavaskar on the MS Dhoni wicket-keeping gloves issue "Rules are there for a reason and they are meant to be followed. That's why they are there. Moeen Ali was fined by the ECB when he was wearing a wristband supporting a particular cause in 2014" #CWC19
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) June 8, 2019
Exactly! It’s a game and not some battlefield
Dhoni should know cricket is just a sport, not war
Sportsmen bring glory for their nations by playing to win, not as ambassadors for their militaries#Dhoni #DhoniGloves #ArmyInsignia #SportsNotWarhttps://t.co/HzQ006ggKJ@waheedkhan @bhattimajid @qamaruk pic.twitter.com/8OV0Ovubof— imran malik (@immiemalik) June 8, 2019
Yep!
Absolutely absurd, just play cricket; keep induced ego aside. No dhoni, no world cup for me. Do what's needed, not what's wanted. You play for the country, not the crowd. #Dhoni
— Shravan Suresh (@shravan_04) June 8, 2019
Well, rules are rules and meant to be followed ay the end of the day!
Why are we spending the day discussing Dhoni's gloves?? It was a great gesture on his part- but it's an ICC tournament and if their rules don't permit he will have to comply. Focus on the cricket. He doesn't have to prove anything. It's not a national issue!#Dhoni #DhoniVsICC
— Dr Ambrish Mithal (@DrAmbrishMithal) June 7, 2019
Someone sane, finally!
My take on #DhoniKeepTheGlove
Focus on cricket. Play good cricket, that's ur job. Play within specified protocols & game's rules. Refrain from controversies. Also remember, it is a BCCI team not "Indian Team"
If ICC says gloves not allowed, then @msdhoni should comply with.— Bhavika Kapoor (@BhavikaKapoor5) June 8, 2019
Yes, let’s just focus on the game!
India should understand … even without the Indian Teams attire , the glove or insignia, #dhoni represents each of the beautiful ideas that #india stands for
just like each of our sportsmen and sportswomen
lets only focus on the game and not noise#CWC19 #DhoniKeepTheGlove— Omi (@OmiTheRajan) June 8, 2019
Come on, now withdrawing from the tournament is a little too extreme, no?
#DNAPoll Should India withdraw from the ICC World Cup
over Dhoni’s glove controversy?— DNA (@dna) June 7, 2019
Dhoni, keep the glove, for practice matches.
Good example. Like this was not done during the game, similarly Dhoni shouldn’t also wear the Gloves with Insignia during the game. ICC will not object if he wears it before or after the game, like they didn’t object to praying https://t.co/eYrEnsjy8h
— Joy (@Joydas) June 8, 2019
Ooof, that would have burnt so bad!
Because if you were to set this in context you wouldn’t look so much of a moron. The PAKISTAN cricket team prayed on the field after their practice. Not during a match, in a World Cup tournament. What are you smoking ?! https://t.co/kEzfytk79r
— Ebba Qureshi (@EbbaQ) June 7, 2019
Someone even bought in the push-ups done by the Pakistani team:
PIC-1 pakistani players offering namaz on field.
PIC-2 pakistani players doing exercises in support of pakistani army.
Now i would like to ask @ICC, was these acts were not religious and commercial?? Where was @icc rules at that time.#IndiaWithDhoni#DhoniKeepTheGlove #Dhoni pic.twitter.com/qYYgnSBwBS— Shantanu mishra (@Shantanu1009) June 7, 2019
But the fans got right back at him with actual FACTS
Pic- 2 is after they won a test series in England for which all the team members trained in a boot- camp, army style.
Thora search kr lia kro phir bat agga phalaya kro..— Hadia Butt🐣 (@Hisparoo) June 8, 2019
And Pic_1 during the practice session
— Saqlain Malik (@saqimalik337) June 8, 2019
Definitely!
A non issue turning into the mother of all issues. I get that #Dhoni is passionately patriotic about the nation & army but I'm surprised at this odd show of it during a game. Very un-Dhoni like. #CWC19 #Dhoni @BCCI #INDvAUS
— Navta vij (@NavtaV) June 7, 2019
Yes sir!
Everyone loves Army and respect their sacrifice for the country, #Dhoni has started an unnecessary conflict by showcasing his love for Army in field of sport he plays. Every tournament has some rules and all must play by the rules.
— Moiz Syed (@smoiz) June 8, 2019
But patriotism…
For Indians, hand-gloves are still important than unemployment, drought, dropping GDP and yeah, also a missing AN-32 aircraft. #DhoniKeepTheGlove #DhoniKeSaathDesh #Dhoni #DhoniVsICC #DhoniGloves
— Dipesh Kadam-Patil (@trulydipesh) June 8, 2019
Exactly, where was Indian twitter when this issue was raised?
England all-rounder Moeen Ali was banned for wearing wristbands that said “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine” during a test match against India
But it's okay for Dhoni to wear an insignia of a unit of the Indian Army on his wicketkeeping gloves
Yeh kahan ka insaf hai? pic.twitter.com/caoEQvjrlg
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) June 7, 2019
It’ll be the same Indian twitter triggered when that happens:
Yes I hope you don't have a problem when Pakistani cricketers wear badges that read 'Indian army stop oppression in Kashmir' #Kashmir #DhoniKeepTheGlove #Dhoni #India https://t.co/LEWnfebHm1
— Saqib Mugloo (@Saqibmugloo) June 8, 2019
Some had wild ideas…
#Dhoni should get that symbol tattooed. #ICC can't do shit then. #DhoniKeepTheGlove pic.twitter.com/GQVx6LGAHc
— Sachin Kumar (@igotjokes24) June 8, 2019
People also pointed out that England’s jersey is also problematic:
Why only Dhoni is targetted ? Can @ICC ask England to remove those lions on their Jersey ? #DhoniKeepTheGlove pic.twitter.com/UOnJ5JUhno
— Manoj Kishore Nayak (@mknayak2010) June 7, 2019
A Neeta Ambani fan account, came with an idea to keep the glove 😂
500 retweets and I will buy @ICC and then Dhoni will keep the glove. #DhoniKeepTheGlove
— Neeta Ambani Fan (@Neetahoon) June 8, 2019
It won’t hurt to get rid of the logo, just saying…
Sincerely appreciate #Dhoni for "honouring" the Paratroopers. However, everyone has to play by the rules! Given that only 2 manufacturer logos can be displayed, he'd be courting a needless controversy if he insists on wearing them, which i doubt he would! @cricketworldcup
— Sunand P (@p_sunand) June 8, 2019
Yes, yes and yes!
.@ShekharGupta: “Sportsmen bring glory for their nations by playing to win, not by becoming brand ambassadors for their militaries while wearing their sporting uniform.” https://t.co/3hUNHMLJD1
— Sadanand Dhume (@dhume) June 8, 2019
Like we said earlier, withdrawing is not the solution!
I understand people are agitated with ICC refusal's to BCCI request. But rules are rules, for everyone they are the same. And how come Indians want the team to withdraw from the World Cup over this? Withdrawing is not the solution. #Dhoni #ICC #CWC19 #MSDHONI #WorldCup2019
— vishesh (@vroy38) June 8, 2019
Haha, well said
Abey pagalpanthi band karo bey tumlog 😒
ICC ne hamari Army ko kuchh ulta seedha bola? Nahi na? ICC ne Team India ke kissi player ko galat bola? Nahi na? #Dhoni ne ICC ki permission li thi gloves pehenne se pehle? Nahi na?
To salo tumlog 'Boycott World Cup' kyu bol rahe ho? 🙄
— Come On India 🏆🙏🇮🇳 (@madam_jadeja) June 8, 2019
Only the Indian media can do this!
You have to give it to the Indian media. No one other than they, in their hate for Muslims, can compare Dhoni's military gloves symbolism during a WORLDCUP match in front of tens of thousands of fans, to Pakistani players praying AFTER a PRACTICE match in front of empty chairs https://t.co/bAzDavmdAA
— Asfandyar Bhittani (@BhittaniKhannnn) June 8, 2019
One word: SAVAGE
Editor Zee News has tweeted a misleading video that has over 10k likes.
– this is a practice session
– you can pray, dance do whatever you want in a practice session
– Dhoni’s paramilitary symbol glove is violation as was Moeen Ali’s Save Gaza band
– take down this stupid tweet https://t.co/uGiEfOFtgA— Mahwash Ajaz (@mahwashajaz_) June 8, 2019
Unfortunately, all media is the same with their messed up priorities:
Kids are getting raped. Law and order has gone for a toss. Water scarcity is killing people. Army aircraft is missing for days. Employment and economy is in bad shape etc etc
But what our media is hell bent on to discuss? Dhoni and his glove. Such horribly misplaced priorities.
— Tathagat Khandelwal (@IAmTathagat) June 7, 2019
And while there was some really sensible tweets from across the border, majority of the people were in support of M.S. Dhoni and even went ahead to start a trend #BoycottWorldCup
People were proud of Dhoni
Our dearest cricketer #Dhoni has shown his love & respect for our soldiers. We are deeply touched by his #BalidanBadge and proud of him. A great player, a great personality, a great human being..#MSDHONI.#IndiaWithDhoni pic.twitter.com/jFPKTqXOYn
— Mayannk Pande (@MayannkPande) June 7, 2019
Majority of the fans wanted him to keep the glove
Lt colonel MS Dhoni is a qualified PARA Trooper of INDIAN Army. 🇮🇳#DhoniKeepTheGlove pic.twitter.com/kPZpCa29sW
— DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) June 7, 2019
Some were all praise for the things Dhoni has done in one go:
In one stroke, Dhoni has:
* Put contribution of Para Special Forces and appeal of Balidaan Indian Army insignia on centrestage
* Told world that New India wears its patriotism on its sleeves/gloves
* Exposed ICC hypocrisy
* Proved that he’s still the boss#DhoniKeepTheGlove pic.twitter.com/AUPbIoveiJ— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) June 7, 2019
Some did their fair share of research and of course, Pakistan was all that worried them.
Hello @ICC
Rules are rules, but are you guilty of hypocrisy?
And can you tell us WHO has a problem with the #BalidaanBadge?
Should #DhoniKeepTheGlove or drop it?
Your thoughts?#Breaking #BCCI #Dhoni#armyinsignia #ICC #ICCWorldCup #Pakistan #india pic.twitter.com/2LPdqxdIJ4
— Deepti Sachdeva दीप्ति सचदेवा (@DeeptiSachdeva_) June 7, 2019
Many said that ICC should focus on better umpires rather than a glove
Dear @ICC,
Instead of focussing on @msdhoni gloves better focus on improving the quality of umpires.
4 decisions overturned so far in today's game + a huge No Ball miss that costed Chris Gayle's wicket. #DhoniKeepTheGlove@ChennaiIPL @MusicThaman pic.twitter.com/LXABZZxcYW— Haradeep (@ursHaradeep) June 7, 2019
Ummm, someone tell him that this is not just a “logo” but our FLAG!
How can ICC can block #Dhoni to wearing wicket keeping gloves with his unit sign?? where all Pakistani team is wearing dress with logo which #Pakistani army is using ? whole team of Pakistan must be ban according to the rule .@ICC #cwc2019#iccworldcup2019#IndiaWithDhoni#BCCI pic.twitter.com/kAOk2JrRRO
— jakthedevil (@jakthedevil) June 7, 2019
Some had questions:
Eng Cricketers can wear the Popy Badge
Pak Players offering namaz on field, doing exercises in support of pak army
Now I would like 2 ask was dis acts were not religious & commercial?
Dear ICC U might ban Balidaan Badge frm Dhoni's Gloves,not from hearts👍#DhoniKeepTheGlove pic.twitter.com/bQzMqDQemh
— Pradip Hazra (@PradipMsd7) June 8, 2019
Err, no one’s even trying to remove the love from his heart
You can remove "Balidan Badge" from his gloves but you just can't remove his love for Armed Forces from his heart. 🇮🇳#IndiaWithDhoni #DhoniKeepTheGlove #DhoniKeSaathDesh #Dhoni pic.twitter.com/raKnnGjQTx
— Bikramjit Das 🇮🇳 (@BikramMsdian) June 8, 2019
What are your thoughts on this fiasco? Should players be allowed to wear such symbols on the field, or are they best avoided? Let us know in the comments below!
Rofl! This gave me a much needed laugh!
And no nothing of such nature should be allowed on field… sports should be treated as sports and not a war zone (which we know very well Indians have a habit of doing) Rules should be the same for everyone and must be followed… no exceptions