BCCI To Restrict Family & WAGs’ Stay With Players On Tours After India’s 3-1 BGT Loss In Australia: Report
Following India’s 3-1 defeat in the BGT, the BCCI reportedly plans to limit the stay of players' families and WAGs on tours.
India's heavy 1-3 defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 and their failure to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final has prompted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take stringent actions. According to reports, the BCCI is planning to limit family time for Indian players by restricting the travel of wives and girlfriends (WAGs) to a maximum of two weeks on tours lasting over one and a half months.
Until now, players' families, particularly WAGs, have had the freedom to stay for extended periods during long tours. However, the apex body for cricket in India is now poised to implement significant changes. According to a Dainik Jagran report, the BCCI believes that players' performances on overseas tours are negatively impacted when they stay with their families for prolonged durations. As a result, the board is planning to bring back a rule from before 2019, limiting the amount of time players can spend with their families.
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Family & WAGs Allowed To Say With Cricketers For 14 Days Max
In a meeting of the BCCI officials with head coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma in Mumbai on January 11 (Saturday), the board prepared new guidelines for the players and coaching staff. Under the new guidelines, for tournaments lasting 45 days or more, a player's wife or family will be allowed to stay with them for only 14 days. For shorter tours, this period will be reduced to seven days. Additionally, each player will be required to travel with the squad on the team bus and solo travel will be discouraged by the board.
The BCCI is also reportedly set to impose stricter measures on coach Gambhir and his manager, Gaurav Arora. Gambhir's manager will no longer be allowed to stay at the team hotel or sit in the VIP box at stadiums. Additionally, the manager will not be permitted to travel with Gambhir on the team bus or in the bus behind it.
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The meeting also included a discussion about the support staff following India’s defeat on the Australia tour. Concerns have been raised about the long-term association of many staff members with the team, leading to stagnant performance. It has reportedly been decided that the tenure of the support staff will be limited to two years, with the possibility of a one-year extension, making the maximum tenure three years. As a result, several support staff members are likely to be let go.