“You need family, but you also need a team”

Former Indian captain and 1983 World Cup winner Kapil Dev has shared his views on BCCI’s rule about limiting the time family members can stay with players on tour. He said that the issue needs a balanced approach.

Kapil Dev stated that while family is needed, having a team is also important.

“Well, I don’t know, that’s individual. I think it’s the cricket board’s call. My view is, yes, you need family. But you also need a team, all the time,” he stated while speaking at the ‘Kapil Dev Grant Thornton Invitational’ event.

The Indian legend recalled the situation during their playing days. He said that players would tell themselves to focus on cricket with the blend of family coming and enjoying the tour as well.

“In our time, we used to say to ourselves — not by the cricket board — that the first half of the tour should be cricket, and in the second half, the family should come and enjoy it too. It should be a blend,” he added.

The BCCI issued strict guidelines following India’s 1-3 series defeat against Australia in the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy. One of the rules stated that family members would be allowed to visit players only once on tour for two weeks if the tour exceeds a period of 45 days.

Virat Kohli criticised BCCI’s rule regarding family on tour

During an event last Sunday, former India captain and star batter Virat Kohli expressed his opinion on the issue. He openly criticised the BCCI’s rule restricting the presence of family members present on tour.

“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,” Kohli said (via The Indian Express).

Kohli also stated that having family around helps players treat their game as a responsibility as well. He added that he would not want to miss any opportunity to spend time with his family.

Following Kohli’s criticism, a report by India Today stated that the BCCI may consider changing the strict rule regarding having family members on tour.