Gautam Gambhir said ICC should look into the World Cup being a run-fest and pitches are suiting batsmen.
Former India batsman and now BJP lawmaker Gautam Gambhir has come out in support of MS Dhoni in the gloves controversy, saying the International Cricket Council's (ICC) job is not to look at who is wearing what. His remarks come after the governing body turned down Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) request to allow MS Dhoni to continue to sport the Army insignia at the World Cup.
"The ICC's job is to run cricket in the right way, not to see who is wearing the gallows and the logo on it," he said during an interaction with TV9 Bharatvarsh.
Mr Gambhir, who played a major role in India's 2007 World T20 and 2011 World Cup winning campaigns, said the ICC should instead look into the World Cup being a run-fest and pitches that are suiting batsmen.
"ICC ought to look into the matter that we should not have 300-400 run total. ICC's job is to provide pitches for bowlers as well and not make the condition suitable for batters only. The entire logo issue is being given too much importance," said Mr Gambhir.
MS Dhoni was spotted sporting the regimental dagger insignia of the Indian Para Special Forces on his wicketkeeping gloves during India's opening game in the ongoing World Cup.
The Army insignia was seen on Mr Dhoni's gloves as television replays showed him stumping Andile Phehlukwayo in the 40th over of the innings bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal.
While the BCCI asked the ICC to allow Mr Dhoni to continue sporting the insignia, the game's governing body rejected the plea, saying that the regulations for ICC events do not permit any individual message and that the logo also breaches the regulations in relation to what is permitted on wicketkeeping gloves.