According to several sources, the BCCI are set to implement strict protocols on the Indian cricketers regarding the time they spend with their families on tours.
What are the restrictions about?
As per the reports, the immediate families of the cricketers (their partners and children) cannot be with them with up to 14 days on a tour of 45 days or longer. This 14-day phase begins only after the first two weeks of the tour. On shorter tours, they can accompany the cricketers for a week or less.
Why this, all of a sudden?
These protocols used to be the part of player contracts, but had been relaxed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the cricketers had to enter biosecure bubbles ahead of, and sometimes during, the tours. The changes were made to ensure the families could be part of the bubble.
Who used to sponsor travel for the cricketers’ families?
While the BCCI did not fund the travel for the families, they used to pay for their accommodation. That is not going to change.
Is this the only change that is going to happen?
The BCCI has also mandated that every cricketer should travel in the team bus. There have been recent violations to this. On India’s recent Australia tour, Yashasvi Jaiswal had reportedly come in for some flak from the team management for missing the bus.
The BCCI will also not pay for more than 150 kg of luggage for cricketers on the tour. According to former Test cricketer Aakash Chopra, the usual cricket kitbag does not exceed 40 kg.
Are the protocols official?
There has been no official BCCI release yet. However, An ESPNcricinfo piece mentions that the BCCI office-bearers reportedly informed Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and chair of selectors Ajit Agarkar on January 11 of these protocols.
How do the cricketers feel about this?
There has been no known reaction from the cricketers yet.
However, back in 2018, Virat Kohli (at that point the Indian captain across formats) had requested the BCCI to relax the restrictions. “The player opinion varies. Only an individual can say because the individual has to play a Test match.
“Some want family to be there for the whole tour while others want little family time and they try to concentrate,” Gambhir – not involved with the Indian team management in any capacity back then – had told India Today when asked about Kohli’s request. “Whatever the decision, it should be taken in the best interest of Indian cricket.”
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