The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia has made it clear that they will maintain its existing guidelines for Indian players participating in overseas tours. BCCI secretary's reaction came following recent concerns raised by Virat Kohli. Kohli recently voiced his discontent with the BCCI's policy which impose stricter regulations on family time during international tours.
At a recent event hosted by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), prior to the commencement of the Indian Premier League, Kohli expressed the collective sentiment of the Indian team, stating that players desire the presence of their families during overseas assignments. His comments were in response to a question from Isa Guha regarding the BCCI's SOPs, which were implemented following India's disappointing tour of Australia, where they suffered a 3-1 series defeat against Pat Cummins' Australian team.
"If you ask any player, do you want your family to be around you all the time? They'll be like, yes. I don't want to go to my room and just sit alone and sulk. I want to be able to be normal. And then you can really treat your game as something that is a responsibility. You finish that responsibility, and you come back to life," Kohli had said.
BCCI secretary reacts to Kohli's remark on family restrictions policy
In response to Kohli's recent remarks, the BCCI secretary firmly stated that the board has no plans to alter its existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Indian players on overseas tours. This decision means that the restrictions on family time during these tours will remain in place. Looking ahead, the Indian national team is scheduled to tour to England immediately following the conclusion of the Indian Premier League. During this tour, they are set to participate in a series of five Test matches, which will take place between June and July.
"At this stage, the current policy will remain intact, as it is of paramount importance to both the nation and our institution, the BCCI. The BCCI recognises that there may be some resentment or differing opinions, as in a democratic setup, people are entitled to express their views. The policy is applied uniformly to all team members - players, coaches, managers, support staff, and everyone involved - and has been implemented with the best interests of everyone in mind," Devajit Saikia told Cricbuzz.
Saikia further said that the current policies governing family time during overseas tours are not a recent development, but rather have been a longstanding practice within Indian cricket.
"This policy has not been formulated overnight; it has been in place for decades, dating back to the playing days of our president, Roger Binny - and possibly even earlier. The new policy is an amendment of the previous one, with additional provisions regarding players' presence at practice sessions, match schedules, tours, luggage, team movements, and other ancillary activities, all aimed at the objective of team cohesion and unity," he stated.
However, in the end BCCI secretary also addressed the possibility of future adjustments to the current regulations. Saikia indicated that the BCCI remains open to considering individual cases and ensuring that appropriate accommodations are made when necessary.
"The BCCI has increased the duration of family members' stay with players during overseas tours, with provisions for relaxing the norms under special circumstances, but this will be done through a proper process," he concluded.