The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will not change its guidelines regarding family time for players during overseas tours, Secretary Devajit Saikia said Wednesday. The announcement comes after Virat Kohli openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the stricter rules. Saikia defended the policy, stating that the BCCI considers it crucial for maintaining discipline and team unity.
Saikia clarified that these guidelines are not new but rather an amendment to long-standing policies aimed at promoting team cohesion. “At this stage, the current policy will remain intact as it is of paramount importance to both the nation and our institution, the BCCI,” Saikia told Cricbuzz. “The policy is applied uniformly to all team members – players, coaches, managers, support staff, and everyone involved – and has been implemented with the best interests of everyone in mind.”
“This policy has not been formulated overnight; it has been in place for decades, dating back to the playing days of our president, Roger Binny – and possibly even earlier,” Saikia said. “The new policy is an amendment of the previous one, with additional provisions regarding players’ presence at practice sessions, match schedules, tours, luggage, team movements, and other ancillary activities.”
Saikia concluded by acknowledging the need for flexibility, saying the board is open to granting concessions under special circumstances, provided the proper process is followed.
“The BCCI has increased the duration of family members’ stay with players during overseas tours, with provisions for relaxing the norms under special circumstances. However, this will be done through a proper process,” he said.
Earlier, speaking at a Royal Challengers Bengaluru event ahead of the Indian Premier League, Kohli shared his frustration with the policy. “If you ask any player, ‘Do you want your family to be around you all the time?’ they’ll say yes. I don’t want to go to my room and just sit alone and sulk. I want to be able to be normal. You finish that responsibility, and you come back to life,” Kohli said.
Kohli’s comments were in response to a question from former cricketer Isa Guha about the new guidelines, which were introduced after India’s 3-1 series loss to Australia.
Under the new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), players on tours lasting more than 45 days can have their partners and children (under 18) visit them once per series for up to two weeks. The BCCI covers shared accommodation during the visit, while players bear all other expenses. The timing of these visits must be approved by the coach, captain, and GM Operations. Any deviations require prior approval.
India is set to tour England after the IPL for a five-match Test series between June and July, where these guidelines will once again come into effect.
