Indian board likely to appeal against ban

Ratnakar Shetty, the former joint secretary of the Indian board, has strongly opposed the government's ban on using the flag on sporting outfits. Shetty said that the government should reconsider the decision since sporting the flag on the helmet wouldn't be an insult to its sacredness and also added that many players take pride in doing so. The federal home ministry imposed the ban after citing the Flag code of India, which states that the tricolour should not be used on costumes or embroidered on cushions, handkerchiefs and dress material.

"The decision is very unfortunate," Shetty told Cricinfo. "I think the government should reconsider the whole thing because it really is not something that warrants such an action. It doesn't insult the national flag by wearing it on the helmet. They are not wearing on clothing; it's just the helmet when they go out to bat."

There was speculation that the move was an attempt by the government was is to hit back at the Indian board, which has repeatedly stated their autonomous nature and had even issued an affidavit in the court saying that they don't fall under the purview of the government. Shetty explained, "BCCI has no role to play in this. If you go through the history, the teams which went on tours till 1952 didn't have the Ashoka crest. Then the government objected to that, so we started wearing the BCCI logo."

Shetty added that the board was likely to appeal to the government to re-consider their decision. "After the appeal they can maybe suggest some way out of it," he said. "It's very peculiar, if Sachin Tendulkar wears the helmet with only the tricolour but not Ashoka chakra, then what happens? The national flag is incomplete without the Ashoka chakra and if tomorrow he wears only the colours will he be still violating the code?"

Several players, according to Shetty, were upset with the government's decision. "The players have been unnecessarily dragged into the whole controversy and sooner it is settled, either way, the better."