 "Actor Anushka Sharma accompanies her cricketer husband Virat Kohli on tours more often than not but will not be traveling for the ICC Champions Trophy. PTI")
The BCCI are not playing around as far as their new rules for the Indian cricket team and support staff are concerned. The 10-point guidelines announced by the board in January will be firmly in place for the ICC Champions Trophy with families barred from accompanying players flying to Dubai on Saturday, 15 February.
Some of the guidelines had been implemented during India’s white-ball series against England at home that concluded on Wednesday, including banning players and support staff from traveling privately between matches or to training sessions. The Champions Trophy, however, marks the first time rules such as restrictions on family members and partners come into effect.
Also Read | Focus on stronger team culture and other takeaways from BCCI’s 10-point guidelines
The Indian team starts its campaign in Dubai against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by the marquee clash against arch-rivals Pakistan (February 23) and the final preliminary face-off with New Zealand on March 2. The Rohit Sharma-led squad will play its games in Dubai while the rest of the tournament unfolds from February 19 in Pakistan across three venues.
Given that the duration of the tour is just over three weeks, even if the final on March 9 is taken into consideration, the BCCI will not allow families to accompany the players. As per the new policy, families can be with players for a maximum of two weeks during a tour which is of 45 days or more.
“If anything changes then it is different, but as of now, the players are unlikely to be accompanied by their wives or partners for this tour. One of the senior players had enquired about it and he was told that the policy decision will be followed,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Since the tour is of less than one month, families won’t be accompanying the players. But if exceptions are made, I think that individual will have to bear the full expenses as the BCCI won’t be covering any cost,” he added.
The BCCI policy document states: “Players absent from India for more than 45 days during overseas tours can be joined by their partners and children (under 18) for one visit per series (format wise) of up to a two-week period.
“Any deviation from this policy must be pre-approved by the coach, captain and GM Operations. Additional expenses outside the visitors’ period will not be covered by the BCCI.”
Also Read | Why BCCI’s restrictions on family members, private travel is a positive step for Indian cricket
However, families will be there with the team during the five-Test tour of England in June-July-August. The window for their two-week stay during the trip will be worked out later.
The new rules were drafted after India’s horror tour of Australia during which the team was outplayed 1-3 , leading to speculation about lack of discipline and cohesion in the dressing room.
Most rules already put into effect
The senior official said that most of the rules have already been enforced by the BCCI.
“If you look at it, already no player can ask for a private vehicle to come for practice. All state units have been notified. Similarly, once the players assembled in Kolkata (for the T20I series against England) and Nagpur (for the ODI series against the same side), the team has travelled together,” he confirmed.
Also Read | New BCCI rules spark mixed reactions: Experts approve, fans call them overreaching
The stars have also adhered to the new regulations of playing domestic cricket when they get time off from their international assignments.
Accordingly, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube turned up for Mumbai.
Virat Kohli played his first game for Delhi in more than 12 years amid a lot of fanfare. So did Rishabh Pant while KL Rahul represented Karnataka. Ravindra Jadeja played for Saurashtra.
Personal staff to stay at different hotel
Restrictions have also been imposed on personal staff (managers, agents, chefs), who were accompanying the team and the coaching group earlier.
Accordingly, the personal secretary of a member of the coaching staff, who was regularly seen staying at the team hotel, now stays at a different facility even though he has been seen at every venue during the England home series.
It is understood that the BCCI is trying to get a few chefs on board to meet the special dietary requirements of certain players.
With PTI inputs