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Balidan-badge row: Suresh Raina comes in MS Dhoni support

Suresh Raina said that Dhoni sporting gloves with Balidan-badge insignia should be taken as an act of patriotism and not nationalism.

Suresh Raina backs his CSK skipper. (Source: Express Archive/AP)

Indian cricketer and MS Dhoni’s CSK teammate Suresh Raina has come in his support in Balidan-badge row on Friday. He has backed MS Dhoni’s decision to sport the badge on his gloves during World Cup match against South Africa on June 5.

Suresh Raina posted on Twitter,” While we are on the field, we devote ourselves to our country and we give all we can to make India proud. We all love our country and that’s exactly @msdhoni has done, saluting the sacrifices of our heroes and honouring them. It should be taken as an act of patriotism and not nationalism.”

While we are on the field, we devote ourselves to our country & we give all we can to make India proud. We all love our country & that’s exactly @msdhoni has done, saluting the sacrifices of our heroes & honouring them. It should be taken as an act of patriotism & not nationalism

— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) June 7, 2019

Meanwhile, the BCCI on Friday confirmed that it had written to the ICC, requesting to let MS Dhoni continue wearing the gloves for the remainder of the World Cup.

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju also said the government would, need be, ask the BCCI to approach the ICC over the issue. “The government does not interfere in matters of sports bodies, they are autonomous,” Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Twitter.

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The ICC’s directive has not gone down well with a section of fans and sports stars. There was a huge uproar over the apex body’s move as sports fraternity slammed the ICC for asking Dhoni to remove the Insignia.