India captain Rohit Sharma came up with a hard-hitting reply when a reporter questioned him about the BCCI's new protocol of not allowing Indian cricketers family and wives on tours. Rohit was asked the same during the press conference which was done to announce India's squad for both Champions Trophy and ODI series against England. Rohit snapped at the reporter and asked him back about the source of the information, stressing on that any official confirmation should come directly from the BCCI.
Rohit Sharma shuts on reporter on being asked about BCCI's restrictions on wives on overseas tours
BCCI has rolled out a 10-point new guidelines for Indian cricketers after team's back-to-back flop show with an aim of improving team discipline. One of the BCCI guidelines restricts wives and families from accompanying the team on overseas tours.
During the press conference, Rohit Sharma was questioned about the reported BCCI restrictions on wives accompanying the team on tours. In response, he asked back the reporters inquiring if they had received it directly from the BCCI.
In fact Rohit humorously urged the media to wait for the official announcement of the rules, suggesting a lighthearted tone while acknowledging the speculation surrounding the issue.
"Who told you about the rules? Has it come from the official handle of BCCI? Let it come officially," Rohit said.
BCCI's new guidelines prohibit contracted players from traveling with personal staff, including cooks, hairdressers, stylists, and personal security personnel, during tours. The BCCI has also implemented strict limitations on the number of family members accompanying players on tours.
According to the BCCI's policy document exclusively accessed by Sports Tak, these measures are intended to foster a more cohesive and professional team environment at all levels. Moreover, the rules stipulate that no player will be permitted to use independent transportation for practice sessions or matches, emphasizing the importance of team unity and discipline.
Meanwhile, India's chief selector Ajit Agarkar also gave his two cents on the new protocols for players.
"It’s not a punishment. Every team has a few rules in place and when playing you follow the rules. It's not a school, it's not a punishment. You just inherently follow certain things as every team does. A lot of them have been in place in any case and you keep refining it as you go along,” Agarkar said during the press conference.
Meanwhile, India's squads for both Champions Trophy 2025 and ODI series against England have been announced. Harshit Rana was the only difference in both the squads. Harshit Rana has been included as a backup for Bumrah, who may not be fully fit for the first two matches of the ODI series
India's ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja
India’s squad for ODI series against England
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja