Dhoni Fans Want ICC to \'Focus\' on Umpiring Quality and Not His Army Insignia Gloves

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Dhoni Fans Want ICC to 'Focus' on Umpiring Quality and Not His Army Insignia Gloves

Fans suggested ICC rather focus on the poor umpiring quality that triggered controversy during Australia-West Indies contest on Thursday.

Updated:June 7, 2019, 2:00 PM IST
Dhoni Fans Want ICC to 'Focus' on Umpiring Quality and Not His Army Insignia Gloves
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Hashtag #DhoniKeepTheGlove became the top trending topic on Indian Twitter on Friday after cricket fans lashed out at the International Cricket Council (ICC) for requesting BCCI to have Dhoni's army insignia removed from his gloves.

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 Internet outrage was enough for Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to step in almost immediately and back the former Indian skipper in his decision to sport the army badge.

In fact, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai said on Friday that he would request and apply for formal permission from the ICC to allow Dhoni to have his 'Balidaan' tribute intact. Rai said the insignia on the glove was ‘neither religious nor commercial’ in nature and not even an ‘insignia of his regiment’, and that BCCI stands behind Dhoni in the matter.

However, this did not stop cricket fans in India from criticising and having a go at the ICC. Several users on Twitter reminded the cricket body of the ordinary umpiring that was at display during Australia's clash against West Indies.

One particular incident from the aforementioned match that specifically got the mention on the microblogging site was Chris Gayle's dismissal during Thursday's contest.

The mighty West Indies hitter was given out twice by the on-field umpire but Gayle kept successfully overturning the decisions against him by using Decision Review System (DRS) appeals, before finally succumbing when his third DRS appeal was unsuccessful.

His dismissal came in the 5th over at the hands of Stark, when the Aussie struck him on the pads. After much deliberation, Gayle went upstairs and DRS came into play, yet again.

This time, however, Gayle was genuinely out as the review showed the ball was clipping leg stump. Or was he?

The ball before the one that got him out was a massive no ball that the on-field umpire failed to catch. Simply meaning that the ball he was adjudged LBW on would have been a free-hit.

Indian fans pointed out the blunders made by on-field officials Gaffaney and Ruchira Palliyaguruge during the match on Twitter and suggested the ICC move on from Dhoni's "harmless" gloves and instead "focus" on the umpiring quality that wasn't on par with international standards one would expect at the Cricket World Cup.

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