BCCI Stands Firm on Family Travel Ban Despite Criticism from Kohli and Kapil Dev
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has responded to the backlash over its new policy restricting players’ families from traveling with them on tours. Former India captain Virat Kohli was one of the most vocal critics, arguing that those making the rules don’t understand the importance of having loved ones around while being away from home. Kohli found support from another former India captain and World Cup winner, Kapil Dev.
At a recent event hosted by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) it was just before the Indian Premier League kicked off that Kohli revealed what the team actually does feel. He said that the players really do appreciate it when their families are able to accompany them on the overseas tours. It was discussed during a chat with Isa Guha, regarding the BCCI's new rules which were implemented after the tough tour of Australia, which ended in a 3-1 series defeat against Pat Cummins side.
"If you ask any player if they'd like to have their family by their side all the time, they'll say yes. I don't want to retreat to my room and feel isolated; I just want to live a normal life. When you have that balance, you can approach your game with a sense of duty fulfilling that duty allows you to truly feel alive," Kohli explained.
Devajit Saikia Addresses Concerns Over Player Frustrations
In reply to Kohli's recent comments, the BCCI secretary said firmly that the board has not changed its mind on this regard as far as Indian players are concerned while on overseas tours. It means that the constraints on family time during these tours will remain the same. Ahead of that, the Indian national team is scheduled to travel to England immediately after the Indian Premier League. On this tour, they will play a sequence of five Test matches from June to July44.
"At this stage, the current policy will stay as it is, because it is very important to both the country and our organization, the BCCI. The BCCI understands that there might be some frustration or different opinions, as in any democratic setup, people have the right to share their views. The policy is applied equally to all team members players, coaches, managers, support staff, and everyone else involved and has been put in place with everyone's best interests in mind," Devajit Saikia told Cricbuzz.
"This policy wasn't created overnight; it's been in place for decades, going back to the playing days of our president, Roger Binny and perhaps even earlier. The new policy is a revised version of the previous one, with added details about players' attendance at practice sessions, match schedules, tours, luggage, team movements, and other related activities, all focused on strengthening team unity," he stated.
However, the BCCI secretary also mentioned that there might be adjustments to the current rules in the future. Saikia pointed out that the BCCI is open to reviewing individual cases and making necessary accommodations.
"The BCCI has extended the time family members can stay with players during overseas tours and has included provisions to relax the rules under special circumstances, but this will be done through a proper process," he concluded.