Home
India head coach Gautam Gambhir backs the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) new rule for the families of players, saying that the players' sole purpose is to make the nation proud. BCCI rolled out the new guidelines for the players after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 fiasco, where the Rohit Sharma-led side lost the five-Test match series by 1-3.
After India's dismal outing, the BCCI set out a new rule, which limits the time spent by families with the players. Under the new rules, families can accompany players for only 14 days during tournaments lasting 45 days or longer. For shorter tours, family stays are restricted to a maximum of seven days. Former India captain Virat Kohli was someone who was very vocal about the rule and admitted he wasn't a fan of it. Kohli said that he doesn't want to head back to his room and sit and sulk without his family around.
While having a conversation with veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara, Gambhir said that the players should know that they are not on a holiday and are here to represent the nation. However, he admitted that he doesn't mind having families around, the main focus has to be on cricket and said the team should be committed to the goal.
ALSO READ: BCCI announces India's T20I, ODI and Test squad for Australia tour 2025: Check details
"Families are important, but you've got to understand one thing. You are here for a purpose. It's not a holiday. You're here for a huge purpose. You've got very few people in that dressing room or in this tour that gets this opportunity to make the country proud. So yes, I'm not against not having families with us."
"It is important to have families, but if your focus is towards making our country proud and you have a much bigger role than any other thing, and you're committed to that goal, you're committed to that cause, I think everything else is fine. But for me, I think that cause and that goal is more important than any other thing," said Gambhir.
Gambhir is currently in England alongside Shubman Gill-led side for the five-Test match series of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, which is currently tied 1-1 after India's dominating win in the second Test match at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham. The third Test match of the series is currently underway at Lord's Stadium in London where England have opted to bat.
ADVERTISEMENT
