Balidan Badge row: Fans back MS Dhoni after ICC asks him to remove insignia from gloves; all you need to know about military symbol

Fans of Mahendra Singh Dhoni across the board spoke in support of the cricketer after the International Cricket Council (ICC) asked him to remove the ‘Balidan Badge’ from his wicketkeeping gloves. The Committee of Administrators (CoA) has also sent a request to the ICC asking them to allow Dhoni to have the logo on his gloves. [caption id=“attachment_6769231” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of MS Dhoni. AFP[/caption] During the CoA meeting in Mumbai on Friday, one of the members said that an approval has been sought so that Dhoni can continue wearing the gloves. “Yes, we are aware of the issue with Dhoni’s badge. But this isn’t any political or religious sentiment and we have requested the ICC to grant permission for Dhoni to sport the badge on his gloves,” the member was quoted by reports as saying. An ICC official said that the council will consider the request if the BCCI convinces them that the “balidan badge” does not have any political or religious message. India’s opening game in the ongoing World Cup saw Dhoni profess his love for the security forces after he was spotted with regimental dagger insignia of the Indian Para Special Forces on his wicket-keeping gloves. What is the Balidan Badge? The ‘Balidan badge’ is a distinct insignia of the special forces, which form part of the Parachute Regiment. It has a commando dagger pointed downwards, with upward-extending wings extending from the blade and a scroll superimposed on the blade with “Balidan” inscribed in Devanagari. Only Paramilitary Commandos are allowed to wear the Balidan Badge. It is worn on the right pocket, below the name-plate. “The Balidan Badge symbolises that you have surrendered your good life to the nation; that you have already made the supreme sacrifice,” defence analyst Danvir Singh, a retired colonel and author of Kashmir’s Death Trap: Tales of Perfidy and Valour,  was quoted by Rediff.com as saying. Dhoni, who has been conferred an honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Parachute Regiment in 2011, had also undergone training under the Para Brigade in 2015.