Mumbai: After a thorough review meeting held on Saturday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has brought in sweeping reforms, which include hardcore steps to make players spend less time with family during overseas tours and bring in star changes to several logistical issues.
In a major development, the cricket board has put a ban on players’ families accompanying them on international tours. Family members will be allowed a 14-day stay (seven for short tours) on tours in excess of 45 days but may be longer or shorter on shorter tours. The move is part of a desire to preserve players’ focus during key international assignments.
The board has also outlawed collective team travel, which the players previously could take by private transportation. “Unity and discipline have to be maintained by travelling together in a team bus by all squad members,” added a senior BCCI official, seeking anonymity.
The BCCI’s move to put a 150-kilo luggage limit per player for international tours is one of its most important decisions yet. Players who go over this limit will have to pay for themselves, a change from the previous all-expenses-paid deal.
The reforms concern reforms of support staff regulations, such as personal managers. Gautam Gambhir’s manager, who is also the strangest rule, will no longer be allowed to travel with the team or sit in the VIP boxes when the team plays matches—which will now be a first for coaches’ personal staff.
Arguably the single most important option is the proposition of performance-driven pay cuts, something that has never breached the professional sport culture until this year. The unprecedented move is in order to push players to take responsibility and commit themselves more to team performance.