It doesn't take an Einstein to figure out that Gautam Gambhir isn't the biggest fan of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Time and again, the cricketer-turned-parliamentarian has taken pot-shots at his former captain and indirectly criticised him. The latest salvo fired by Gambhir towards Dhoni is regarding the latter's honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army.
Speaking to the Indian Express, the former Test opener was asked about the issue of the army insignia on MSD's wicket-keeping gloves that arose during the World Cup. The answer, though, wasn't confined to that controversy alone.
Gambhir decided to talk about the entire concept of honorary ranks in the Army and said that he is not in favour of it.
"See, it is fine. If he enjoys it and if it comes from within, he is absolutely right in wearing it. But it should not be made into news. Honestly, I think, the Army doesn't need any endorsement.
"The Army doesn't need any marketing. I have never been in favour of honorary ranks (in defence forces) as well. I have been very vocal about it. People have given their sweat and blood to achieve that uniform. There is honorary everything, at least leave the defence services out of it," the former left-handed batsman told Indian Express.
Gambhir then took a step back and praised Dhoni for the time he spent with the army in Jammu and Kashmir recently. But again, as if to not let his praise go too far, he reiterated his opposition to honorary positions.
"Yes, M S Dhoni has done a fabulous job, going to Kashmir, serving in the Army, hats off to him. But I will not endorse people getting honorary positions in the defence forces."
This is not the first time that Gambhir has made a comment that can be seen as indirectly aimed at the former India captain. When MSD's biopic, 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story' came out, Gambhir made a snide remark about it also.
"I don't believe in biopics on cricketers. I think those people who have contributed more to the country than the cricketers deserve a biopic," the current BJP MP from East Delhi had said when the movie was about to be released.
The genesis of the subterranean dislike that Gambhir has for Dhoni is hard to locate. But there have been too many comments of the type mentioned above for them to be just off-the-cuff remarks. There is certainly something in the past that irked Gambhir and he doesn't seem to have forgiven Dhoni for it. His latest comments are yet another example of it.
