 "It is felt that the new BCCI rules will impact Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma the most. Image: PTI")
The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) new 10-point diktat for the Indian cricket team players aimed at promoting “discipline, unity, and a positive team environment” and ensuring professional standards during tours and series has divided opinions. While the changes to player regulations have been well received by experts and former cricketers, fans feel that the new rules are overreaching.
Besides making domestic cricket mandatory for selection into the India squad, the BCCI has also put restrictions on the travel of wives, girlfriends, personal managers, chefs, assistants, and security with the squad. All Team India players have also been advised to “travel with the team to and from matches and practice sessions” .
The BCCI has also said that non-compliance could lead to stringent sanctions against the players including stopping them from taking part in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The strict policy changes closely follow Team India’s 3-1 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy .
Experts welcome new BCCI rules
The diktats may seem harsh but have been welcomed by former cricketers and coaches. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan was surprised to see that BCCI has to bring in a policy change to ensure players stay together at the same hotel on tours.
One of the diktats from BCCI asks players against making separate travel arrangements.
Reacting to the news, Pathan on X wrote: “Even the greatest players in the past stayed in the same hotels as the rest of the Indian team. How was staying in a separate hotel allowed in the first place?”
Impact Shorts
View AllFormer Punjab batter and commentator Ajay Mehra in an exclusive interview with Firstpost said that the new rules will help the Indian cricket team in the future.
“The new set of rules have come in and this is going to be really good for Indian cricket,” he said. “BCCI has done the wise thing.
“You have to have a window for the wives as well. I know family time is really important, but international cricket is not easy. When you are travelling abroad, it’s not easy. So, I think that window (for families to travel on long tours) is good. I think this set of protocols which have been applied will be good for the Indian side. It’s always a team game and when you are travelling with the team etc. it makes a difference. I think these rules will be good for Indian cricket.”
Veteran cricket coach Harish Sharma, who has worked with Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Mongia, VRV Singh, and Siddharth Kaul, also supported the new rules. He felt these rules should have been in place form before.
“These (restrictions) should have been in place before. When a player is on a task, he should focus on that task. I don’t think players can get busy with family or photo shoots or parties as when we go on tour, our motive is to win on foreign pitches and these things distract them,” Harish Sharma told news agency IANS. “If you focus on other factors then it will impact your performance.”
Fans blast BCCI over new rules
Indian cricket team fans, however, do not agree as some feel the BCCI has gone overboard with its ‘harsh” rules.
One of the users on X criticised head coach Gautam Gambhir for enforcing strict rules on Indian players who are already under a lot of pressure.
“It is not a circus and he is no ringmaster to lay such tough rules in a sport where Indian players already face the heat both on and off the field,” he wrote.
Another user joked that the new rules are so strict that it appears they have been drafted by corporates.
“Looks like BCCI’s 10-Point Diktat for players was drafted by the L&T Chairman and Infosys Founder,” he posted on X.
A senior journalist claimed that such policy changes will not improve on-field results.
“If anyone believes that this 10-point diktat by @BCCI for contracted players will change on-field results, think again,” Kuldip Lal wrote.
Here are some more reactions:
This is not the first time that BCCI has imposed strict restrictions on the Indian cricket team after a poor overseas tour. The fans, however, will hope that the eventual outcome is successful as the Men In Blue are set to compete in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 next month .