Families not allowed to travel with Team India for Champions Trophy

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

New Delhi: Families will not be accompanying the Indian cricket players heading to Dubai on February 15 for the ICC Champions Trophy as the BCCI’s new travel policy comes into effect for the first time with this tournament.

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.

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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 said on conditions of anonymity.

“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 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.” However, families will be there with the team during the five-Test tour of England in June-July-August as the five-Test. 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.

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.