The ICC’s job is to run cricket in the right way: Gautam Gambhir on MS Dhoni’s ‘Balidaan Badge’ fiasco

India’s first encounter of the World Cup against South Africa at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham turned out to be a happy one for the Men in Blue. Virat and Kohli and Co won by six wickets, but the game was surrounded by a controversy, surrounding MS Dhoni, who was spotted wearing wicketkeeping gloves with a symbol of ‘Balidaan’, a dagger insignia of the Indian Para Special Forces.

The same was spotted when he stumped Andile Phehlukwayo off Yuzvendra Chahal in the 40th over. Even as there were many who lauded Dhoni’s gesture towards the Indian Army, a lot of people criticized him for it. The International Cricket Council (ICC) was of the opinion that the same wasn’t permissible under the regulations and asked the BCCI to get it removed from Dhoni’s gloves.

Gautam Gambhir supports Dhoni’s move

Moreover, the apex cricket board asked the BCCI to convince them that it didn’t have any ‘political, religious or racial message’ as only in that scenario it would be allowed. Recently, it has been learned that the ICC has refused Dhoni to wear the ‘Balidaan’ badge. In the meantime, Gautam Gambhir, the former Indian cricketer, came out in support of the Jharkhand-born cricketer.

Gambhir, who’s now a politician for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was clear cut in iterating the ICC about its role. “The ICC’s job is to run cricket in the right way, not to see who is wearing the gallows and the logo on it,” Gambhir was quoted as saying during an interaction with TV9 Bharatvasrsh.

Gambhir, who retired from all forms of cricket last year in December, mentioned that the ICC should focus on making pitches, which are more bowling-friendly. Gambhir said the tracks shouldn’t produce 300 plus totals on a consistent basis. The Delhi-born Gambhir also reckoned that Dhoni’s badge issue has been blown out of the equation.

“ICC ought to look into the matter that we should not have 300-400 run total. ICC work is to provide pitches for bowlers as well and not make every condition suitable for batters only. The entire logo issue is being unnecessarily given importance,” the 37-year-old added.