'Paramount importance to nation...': BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia reacts to Virat Kohli’s statement on family policy

After Virat Kohli voiced his concerns about a recent directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the buzz around possible changes to the rules about family members traveling with players on overseas tours, there was a lot of speculation about a shift in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for players.

In response to these comments and the ongoing discussions, the BCCI has made it clear that no changes will be made. Devajit Saikia, the secretary of the Indian cricket governing body, stated that the existing policy will stay as it is. He pointed out that this policy has been around for quite some time and isn’t something new.

"At this stage, the current policy will remain intact, as it is of paramount importance to both the nation and our institution, the BCCI. "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," Saikia told Cricbuzz.

The BCCI secretary stated that exceptions may be granted to players who request permission in special circumstances.

"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," Saikia added.

The recent comments made by top BCCI officials come in response to Virat Kohli's recent statements regarding the importance of having family support for players. Kohli expressed his disappointment in the lack of understanding from others on this matter.

"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. Like, there could be different situations happening in your life all the time. And that allows you to be absolutely normal.

Not in a vague sense, but in a very real way that you finish your commitment, your responsibility, and then you come back to your house, you are with family, and there's absolutely normalcy in your house and normal family life goes on. So, for me, that is absolutely a day of immense pleasure. And I would not miss any opportunities to go out and spend time with my family whenever I can," said Kohli at the RCB Innovation Labs India Summit.

If you're not in the loop, the BCCI has put some tough rules in place for Indian players after the not-so-great tour of Australia. They've rolled out a new policy that restricts family visits to just two weeks for tours that stretch beyond 45 days.

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