BCCI to relax rules on families travelling with players on tours after criticism from Kohli: Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering to change its family policy on foriegn tours. As per a latest report by ANI, players will have to apply for permission if they wish to have their families accompany them from extended periods of time during foreign tours,

An earlier BCCI directive which was issued after India's 1-3 Test series defeat against Australia had curtailed the family time of players for no longer than 14 days on tours exceeding 45 days.

The wife, children or girlfriends of players could be with them for a maximum of one week on shorter tours.

During the recently-concluded Champions Trophy Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami had their families in Dubai. However they did not stay at the team hotel and the players had to bare the expense of the families' stay.

Speaking at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Innovation Lab summit, Virat Kholi, highlighting the mental challenges faced by the players said, "The role of family is very difficult to explain to people…how grounding it is to just come back to your family every time you have something which is intense, which happens on the outside."

"I don't want to go to my room and just sit alone and sulk. I want to be able to be normal. Then you can really treat your game as something that is a responsibility," he added.

Cricketer Kapil Dev supports family travelling with cricketers on tours but has also called for a balanced approach in dealing issue.

"Well, I don’t know, that’s individual. I think it’s the cricket board’s call," said the 1983 World Cup-winning captain, speaking on the sidelines of the 'Kapil Dev Grant Thornton Invitational' event.

"My view is, yes, you need family. But you also need a team, all the time."

(with PTI inputs)