The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly planning to impose stricter regulations on the Indian cricket team following their disappointing tour of Australia. The BCCI intends to limit family visits during extended tours. Wives and girlfriends (WAGs) will be permitted to travel with the players for no more than two weeks on tours lasting over a month and a half, according to a report by Sports Now.
Additionally, it has been mandated that players will travel together on team buses, and any extra luggage will be at their own expense.
These measures follow India’s 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as well as unsettling reports about the team’s internal atmosphere. The squad’s performance was marred by controversies, including Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement announcement, a player self-designating as the interim captain, and Rohit Sharma’s surprising decision to drop himself from the final match.
While Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah were allowed to travel with their families between cities, other players adhered to team travel protocols. Media reports even mentioned that the Indian team did not celebrate their historic victory in Perth together.
BCCI’s new guidelines
- Families are permitted to stay with players for a maximum of 14 days on tours of 45 days or longer
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- For shorter tours, family visits may be limited to seven days
- Wives are not allowed to accompany players for the entire duration of the tour
- All players are required to travel on team buses
- Gautam Gambhir’s manager will not be allowed to sit in the VIP box or travel on the team bus and must stay in a separate hotel
- Players will cover any additional luggage costs exceeding 150 kg
Following the Australia series, the BCCI held a review meeting with skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir. However, they decided against making hasty changes to the team lineup, recognising the upcoming Champions Trophy in just six weeks. The board is cautious about making immediate changes that could disrupt the team dynamics.