After a disappointing whitewash in the home Test series against New Zealand and a 1-3 loss in the away series against Australia, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has implemented new guidelines for Indian players. According to a report, the decisions were made during a review meeting attended by BCCI officials, captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar. Among the measures discussed, one of the key changes is a restriction on the duration wives and family members can accompany players during tours.
The BCCI plans to reinstate a rule that was in place before the Covid-19 pandemic. Under this policy, family members will not be allowed to stay with players for the entirety of a tour. For tours lasting over 45 days, families can join the players for a maximum of 14 days, while for shorter tours, this duration will be reduced to seven days. This decision follows observations during the recent series against Australia, where the wives of several players, including Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, were seen attending all matches. The board reportedly believes that extended family presence may be affecting players’ performance.
Additionally, the BCCI has mandated that all players must travel together on the team bus, regardless of their seniority or stature. This marks a departure from the practice of players opting to travel individually in recent years. The decision aims to foster greater team unity, with the directive explicitly stating that no player, regardless of their standing, will be permitted to travel separately.
The new guidelines reflect the BCCI’s efforts to address recent setbacks and ensure a more focused and cohesive team environment for upcoming challenges.
