ICC’s intervention and request to have Dhoni’s army insignia removed from his gloves has been met with disapproval from Indian cricket fans.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Parachute Regiment in 2011 and had undergone basic training under the Para Brigade in 2015, showed his love for the army during India’s maiden clash against South Africa on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old cricketer was spotted with regimental dagger – Army Insignia or ‘Balidaan’ badge of the Indian Para Special Forces on his wicket-keeping gloves while he stumped Phehlukwayo in the 40th over of the innings bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal.
The ‘Balidaan’ badge or patch can be worn by personnel who served in the Para Special Forces, and Dhoni had undergone a two-week initial training with the para regiment.
The visuals of Dhoni’s tribute to the army forces earned him respect and love from the fellow Indians and tweets praising the former Indian skipper were aplenty on the microblogging site.