Know all about 'Balidaan', Indian Army Para regiment's insignia which Dhoni wore on keeping gloves

The "Balidaan Badge" or the Army insignia was spotted on MS Dhoni's gloves as television replays showed him stumping Phehlukwayo in the 40th over of the innings bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal.

India's World Cup opener against South Africa saw former skipper M.S. Dhoni once again extend his support and admiration for the security forces after he was spotted with regimental dagger insignia of the Indian Army's Parachute (Special Forces) on his wicket-keeping gloves. During the course of India's thumping six-wicket win over South Africa at The Rose Bowl, Dhoni once again effected a razor sharp stumping, dismissing Andile Phehlukwayo and contributing meaningfully with the bat scoring 34 runs. The "Balidaan Badge" or the Army insignia was spotted on his gloves as television replays showed him stumping Phehlukwayo in the 40th over of the innings bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal. Balidaan 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 "Balidaan" inscribed in Devanagari. Only Paramilitary Commandos are allowed to wear the Balidaan Badge. It was not the first instance when Dhoni was seen extending his support for the Indian Armed forces on the cricket field. After the dastardly Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF troopers lost their lives, Dhoni initiated the idea of wearing camouflage caps during an ODI against Australia in March. The 'Men in Blue, along with Dhoni, was seen sporting camouflage caps as a mark of paying tribute to the security personnel who lost their lives in the terror attack on February 14. The Indian Territorial Army had in November 2011 conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Parachute Regiment to MS Dhoni. However, he did his training under the Para Brigade based out of Agra in 2015. In 2018, Dhoni had appeared in his Lieutenant Colonel uniform to receive the Padma Bhushan award at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on April 3.