'I Didn't Know ICC Rules': COA chief Vinod Rai On Dhoni's 'Balidaan Badge' Row

India former captain MS Dhoni sparked controversy during the World Cup 2019. The whole issue started during India's game against South Africa when Dhoni sported the regimental dagger insignia of the Indian Para Special Forces on his wicket-keeping gloves. According to ICC regulations, Dhoni would have been reprimanded if he continued sporting the Army insignia on his keeping gloves as the guidelines allowed the players only to have their team’s insignia on all parts of their clothing. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) then wrote a the ICC to allow Dhoni to keep sporting the 'Balidan Badge' but to no avail, ICC stuck to its guns, saying it was a breach of the regulations. Speaking to Indian Express, COA chief Vinod Rai revealed that he was unaware about the rules. Rai's response came after he was questioned over BCCI's decision to make the request. “That was a non-issue. What he wore was not the insignia of his regiment. But he wore something… At that point, at least I did not know that the ICC had rules about what you can put on your gloves. I was taken by surprise. I said, look, if he is wearing it, he is free to wear it, and I supported him. Then I was shown 11 pages of ICC norms which say that you can only have your team’s insignia and that of the manufacturers. So we had to withdraw.”, COA chief said. “It was a genuine oversight by me. Why should I name anybody else? I did not know that there are such instructions.”, he further added.