Virat Kohli announced that the team will donate the match fees from this ODI to National Defense Fund.
Meanwhile, the Indian team will be looking to wrap the series up by winning the game in Ranchi. However, on a special note, the Indian captain Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni added a brilliant gesture to the ODI in Ranchi, as the Indian team will be wearing special camouflage caps in honor of the Indian armed forces.
The process starts in the third game of the ongoing series between India and Australia in Ranchi, it will now be a norm every season during one game on Indian soil. Dhoni is a big supporter of Indian armed forces and the Indian Territorial Army had conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel to Dhoni on November 1, 2011, months after the country lifted its second World Cup under his leadership.
"It's fitting that the start of this annual event is being done at the home town of Lt. Col. Dhoni because it is not a superficial event but a sincere one. I for one will not be surprised if Dhoni ends up doing active service after he hangs his boots,” a senior BCCI official said to IANS.
Elaborating on the whole idea, the official said: "The idea is to pay tribute to the armed forces and their families. To encourage countrymen to donate to the National Defence Fund for taking care of the education of the dependents of the martyrs.”
As said, MS Dhoni handed over the special caps to the Indian team before the start of the play and during the toss, Virat Kohli said, “(The Army cap) This is to pay respect to the martyrs of the Pulwama attack and their families. We have decided to donate our match fees to the National Defence Fund.”
Watch MS Dhoni’s special gesture for Indian armed forces here: