Indian Cricket Team Wearing Military Caps Is A Dangerous Sign

[Qutb-ud-din Aybak]

If paying tribute to bravehearts' sacrifice is dangerous, then so be it.

paying tribute is not wrong but breaking rules is.
Moin Ali did the same for palestinians and was banned.

 

[Placemat]

Its moronic to sully sport with politics

Take your statements of solidarity far from the sporting field

I wish you had this comment about the Pak team who sullied the field in Mohali with the team Namaz

paying tribute is not wrong but breaking rules is.
Moin Ali did the same for palestinians and was banned.

How is this breaking rules

 

[hussain0216]

I wish you had this comment about the Pak team who sullied the field in Mohali with the team Namaz


How is this breaking rules

Keep politics out of sport dumbo

The moment you make it political is the moment its stops being about whats happening on the field

This is why Usman Khwaja scoring a century and helping Australia win whilst you clowns were running about in army hats became a thing

 

[Kaniska]

How is this paying tribute? They should have just given 1 mth's salary to the soldiers if they think of them so much...THAT would be something!


I see fear is really deep in you that you calling highlighting a break of cricket rules as fear...You guys never thought manners? or you think you are above the law? No wonder the war mongering attitude!

But i have seen in multiple instance where cricketers wear black bands...if it is a break in rule, then appeal with ICC and BCCI will pay fine if they found guilty for it...

 

[hussain0216]

Then why does your team bring religion on field.

We are a religious people, thats all

Bringing politics and events of the day onto the field then makes it about politics not about sport

Its simple, dont be stupid

 

[Qutb-ud-din Aybak]

I wish you had this comment about the Pak team who sullied the field in Mohali with the team Namaz


How is this breaking rules

the same way moin ali did.

 

[Wow]

I dont care what they were or what cause they support i just dont wanna see any dont standards when we do the same

 

[Trango Towers]

While Virat Kohli proudly announced that the team was wearing the caps to signal support for Indian soldiers, never before has the team worn jingoistic symbols so overtly.

By Binoo

When the Indian cricket team took to the field for its third ODI against Australia in Ranchi on Friday, they wore military caps as a sign of solidarity with the 40 troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) killed in Kashmir’s Pulwama last month. This is dangerous terrain for the national cricket team to tread, whether knowingly or not.

Firstly, it was not necessary to wear camouflage caps to publicise the cricketers’ acts of charity, as the players contributing a day’s salary to the family of the dead soldiers could have just made an announcement to that effect. Charity does not necessitate the display of outward military jingoism, as signified by donning a military cap. Never before has the Indian cricket team worn such jingoism on their heads, notwithstanding the patriotism they wear on their sleeves. Also, even though the team has contributed to other causes and players like Sachin Tendulkar and others have made private contributions or adopted villages, such acts of charity were not made under the cover of creeping militarism or ultra-nationalism, like it has been done now.

No team in the history of modern cricket has worn military camouflage caps or symbols during an international match to make a statement.

There can be little doubt that the team has been nudged towards this display of jingoism by the prevailing anti-Pakistan sentiment, as well as the heated political scenario due to the approaching elections. No team in the history of modern cricket has worn military camouflage caps or symbols during an international match to make a statement.

Captain Virat Kohli proudly announced after the toss that the team was wearing the caps to signal support for Indian soldiers. Reuters has reported that the idea to sport the caps came from former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is an honorary lieutenant colonel with the Indian Army. Mind you, Kohli is so superstitious about the cap that, like some other players before him, he normally sports the same dirty Test cap that he wore on his debut. But wearing the military cap seems to have come quite easily to him. Also, the team hasn’t so far thought about giving their hard-earned money for education or some such collective causes.

An act like this cannot fail to have a fallout. In an act of nationalistic fervour, the BCCI has decided to try and keep Pakistan out of the World Cup, even without any prodding from the government. In case it fails, and Pakistan wears its own military caps during the World Cup, will the Indian team walk of the tournament? In such a case, can Pakistan be accused of conducting a provocative act, since India showed the way? Also, ICC rules do not permit wearing of caps other than national caps.

Nationalism and sport are closely linked for sure—that is why jerseys often sport national colours and medal winners wrap themselves in national flags. Indian nationalism, too, has been closely aligned with sport for a long time. Ronojoy Sen has written in his book Nation At Play: A History Of Sport In India that Motilal Nehru once took a team of wrestlers to Europe. Teams often observe silence over national tragedies or wear black bands, in keeping with accepted practise. Not so military caps, which symbolise aggression. To cap it all, Sunil Gavaskar was seen distributing the caps to commentators including a thoroughly embarrassed Matthew Hayden who was not obliged to wear it at all.

In fact, Indian sport has a glorious history of standing against such jingoism and militarism. In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, India was among the handful of teams that refused to do the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute . That was also the time of heightened nationalism, though of a different sort.

“There is no evidence in contemporary sources to show any direct linkages between the Congress and the athletes’ decision to not salute Hitler in Berlin. But the fact remains that it was a political act breathtaking in its audacity, in direct opposition to most other contingents at the Games, including the British,” write Boria Majumdar and Nalin Mehta in their monumental Olympics: The India Story. Ironically enough, Majumdar was among the first to tweet congratulatory messages to the BCCI for making the team wear military caps, showing how even writers and journalists are getting wrapped up in the militaristic fervour taking over political and national debates.

Even discounting for such snippets from history, the military-cap wearing is only symbolic of the larger narrative taking over politics. It would have been ideal for the team to wear a symbol supporting women on Women’s Day. But who is to remember the state of women in India when the atmosphere is rippling with jingoism? How can the BCCI perform a symbolic act for women when its CEO himself has been accused (and pardoned by BCCI) of sexual abuse? The only gesture it made was to have BCCI administrator Diana Edulji (who opposed the reappointment of the CEO) at the toss.

BCCI has opened up the cricket field for overt political statements at a time when both elections and the World Cup are around the corner. Majumdar himself once quoted a journalist to point to the danger of bringing together “previously separated realms”, while talking about the role of the TV serial Ramayan in creating a “setting for a Hindutva revival” . With this act, the BCCI has brought together the separate realms of militarism and cricket. For this, Indian cricket and sport will pay a heavy price in the near future.

https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry...828652e4b0ed0a0012b54b?utm_hp_ref=in-homepage

And the one Pakistani on the field tore them apart and pooped their funny hat party.

 

[Dubious]

Here’s Pak team saluting army.

View attachment 545259

Really, was the Pak army banner also running? What a weak attempt to admitting your team broke rules

wear black bands

I didnt know black bands were owned by the army...
Many Shia wear it...Dont think all Shia are in the army

 

[xyxmt]

Since their army did not wear the cap when needed, some has to wear it

 

[pikkuboss]

Really, was the Pak army banner also running? What a weak attempt to admitting your team broke rules


I didnt know black bands were owned by the army...
Many Shia wear it...Dont think all Shia are in the army

In India, Military and Politics are two different things unlike in Pakistan. Respecting soldiers isn't counted as Politics in India. This event or act has nothing to do with politics or political parties.

 

[Dubious]

Military and Politics are two different things

yet, the caps proved otherwise...

Try again!

Respecting soldiers isn't counted as Politics in India. This event or act has nothing to do with politics or political parties.

Then respect them by donating to them...why only up to show sha?

 

[Chhatrapati]

How is this paying tribute? They should have just given 1 mth's salary to the soldiers if they think of them so much...THAT would be something!

THEY did donate the match fee for the match they played wearing the cap.

I see fear is really deep in you that you calling highlighting a break of cricket rules as fear.

It is nothing but a positive gesture, to show respect to fallen policemen by wearing Camo type - cap (with Indian cricket team logo and Nike sign). There is no issue of mannerism or arrogance.

 

[Dubious]

THEY did donate the match fee for the match they played wearing the cap.

So the cap is necessary to announce it just like the typical need to show sha?

positive gesture, to show respect to fallen policemen by wearing Camo type

Policemen by wearing military caps? I didnt see them wearing Sari or bhindi to support women for women's day...or do they not?

There is no issue of mannerism or arrogance.

Laugh worthy!

But I guess you dont see it....you only see something as subtle as a black band but not something show sha like a cap?!

 

[pikkuboss]

yet, the caps proved otherwise...

Try again!


Then respect them by donating to them...why only up to show sha?

Well, It can be explained as a religious act. We Indians worship our soldiers. Read about Baba Harbhajan Singh for reference. So, it can be explained as a religious act, not Political act.

Further, I don't think donating money is the only option for paying respect. You can do it in multiple ways.

 

[Sekhon Rafiqui]

M.S. Dhoni may be an honourary Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army, but he is widely respected as a level headed and practical person. I doubt if he was instrumental in advocating the use of camo caps for the match. I know this was probably his last ODI at his home town, however, I still find it hard to believe that it was his idea. Mr. Gavaskar should not have distributed the caps, if what I have read is true. If the Indian team had wished to make a point and honour the memory of the slain BSF Jawans, a black arm band and a minute of silence at the arena would have proved to be adequate. Why does this smell of yet another politically initiated publicity stunt? On the other hand, questioning everything that happens in the country is becoming a habit for Indians lately. Is it a lack of self - belief or a latent disgust felt by the long suffering intelligent population (of miniscule proportions), silently borne, for the government's hollow bravado and jingoism? If ever a Latin phrase was apt, it is here and now - O Tempora, O Mores!