BCCI bans Indian cricketers' families on tours after series loss

In a surprising move following India’s disappointing performance in the Test series against New Zealand, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly decided to bar the families of cricketers from accompanying them on tours, aiming to improve team performance.

The decision comes after India’s crushing 0-3 loss to the Kiwis at home and their defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, where they lost 1-3.

The BCCI’s ruling followed a review meeting held in Mumbai on Saturday, which was attended by board officials, head coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, and captain Rohit Sharma, according to reports from Hindustan Times.

The board has reintroduced a policy that was previously scrapped during the COVID-19 pandemic, stipulating that cricketers' wives and families will no longer be allowed to travel with them during tours.

This new restriction is based on the belief that having families accompany players, particularly on international tours, can negatively affect their focus and performance.

Under the revised guidelines, family members will only be permitted to join the players if the tour lasts more than 45 days, and even then, they will be allowed to stay for just two weeks. For shorter tours, family visits will be limited to a week.

Additionally, the BCCI has imposed a new rule on team travel, mandating that all players will travel together on the team bus. The move is designed to maintain team unity, and no player, regardless of status, will be allowed to travel separately.