Days after a review meeting to analyse the pathetic show of the Indians in Australia, BCCI has now come up with 10 strict norms for centrally contracted players.
Of these objectives, a compulsory involvement in local championships is the most significant.
Others include family travel, carry-on allowance, prohibition of personal assistants, advertising campaigns and no home coming if matches are won early.
BCCI appreciates the fact that there shall be strict consequences for these players who are found violating these rules. This encompasses not being allowed to play tournaments such as the IPL, to have their annual contracts and match fees reduced. Specific cases will require permission from the head of the coaching team and chief selector.
The new measures come following the team’s 3-1 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and tumultuous team environments.
Review meeting
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During a review meeting which was held with important of planning of BCCI present in the meeting comprised of the captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar besides players, there was discussion not only about the performance of the players but issues related to the internal setting of the team.
The BCCI has once again urged its players to prepare to take part in domestic cricket this, making it the second time in a year that it has issued such a notice. Earlier in February 2024, former secretary Jay Shah had reminded players of this factor but not much has changed.
Big guns such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja who underperformed in the Australia series did not feature in Duleep Trophy conducted ahead of the Test match season.
Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill and a few other players have agreed to play the Ranji Trophy beginning January 23 after the review meeting was recently conducted.
But there is no definite confirmation to Rohit, Kohli or Jadeja continuing to play for state sides.
These guidelines were issued by the BCCI in order to maintain discipline and Lexington turned into a better team. Self-made cooks, bodyguards, barbers, or others that tour with clients are not allowed on tour.
This decision has received much controversy especially because some of the senior players require personal chefs to prepare the special diet that they require.
Also, dealing with the issue of conducting tours, players have been advised to refrain from the use of private cars. All the players including those transporting family have to use the team bus as transport in games as well as practices.
The BCCI said, to which extent they said, “All players are expected to travel with the team.” Families are advised not to make individual bookings to prevent discipline and team spirit within the squad.
The board has also preserved its previous stand in relation to family visits during tours. Ever since Covid times, opposite players were permitted to have their family accompany them for the entire tour.
But, this disrupted the informal team and planning meetings and sessions often, as some of the players sought family time. Currently, on the tours that last more than 45 days, family stay will be restricted to 14 days.
The other significant amendment that has been effected is the reinforcement of practice rules. The BCCI intends on removing extra nets which had formed a standard norm under the two coaches Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid.
Hence all players are now expected to go through full practices taking part in practice matches and fear or caution during practice sessions will not be condoned, not even the day before matches are to be played. This step was made to try and make sure more preparation and focus is placed on the agency’s priorities.
The BCCI has also set some new guidelines for endorsements during series and tours. The players are now banned from doing personal advertisement shoots or any endorsement during a series or even during a tour.
This measure is intended to eliminate distractions that could see the player pay little attention to cricket and more to their responsibilities as team members.
The BCCI has ensured that the culture of players traveling back home in twos and threes after a tour has come to an end. In the more recent past it had become a norm for the players to go separately especially after they were done with tours whether within India or outside India.
It is required from players in the BCCI now to stay with their teams until the actual end of the series or tour regardless of the earlier finish of a match. This rule applies to encouraging unified for of working and maintaining strong relationships and order in all teams.
