BCCI Likely to Ease Family Rule After Virat Kohli’s Criticism

The board of Control for cricket in India (BCCI) is considering its most controversial rule of the game rule book, the policy that limits the families and partners to accompany players on their overseas tours. This sudden unexpected change is likely to take place after Virat Kohli’s criticism of the rule at the Innovation Lab event.

BCCI introduced new rules for Indian players after the team got whitewashed against New Zealand and after a humiliating test series defeat against Aussies in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The rule was introduced to maintain a sense of discipline and responsibility towards the game and give all focus to it.

Kohli’s Criticism of the Family Rule

🚨 BCCI TO ALLOW FAMILIES. 🚨

– The BCCI likely to adjust the family rule on foreign tours. if players want families for a long duration, they can apply for permission with the BCCI. (Vipul Kashyap/ANI). pic.twitter.com/1Gsprn326l

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 18, 2025

This BCCI rule isn’t facing backlash for the first time, it has been in controversy since the day it’s been implemented, and now that Virat Kohli has openly criticized the rule at an event BCCI is seeking to make changes and prioritize Cricketer’s mental and emotional needs.

Kohli highlighted the issue at a promotional event of RCB ahead of the IPL 2025 season. “If you ask any player, he would want his family family members around. I don’t want to go to the room and sulk alone. I want to be normal, and this is where a family plays an important role. Playing cricket is a responsibility, and after finishing your responsibility, you want to return to your loved ones,” he said.

Virat said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, “It is very difficult to explain to people how grounding it is to just come back to your family every time you have something intense, which happens on the outside.”

“I do not think people have an understanding of what value it brings to a large extent. And I feel quite disappointed about that because it is like people who have no control over what is going on are kind of brought into conversations and put out at the forefront that, ‘oh, maybe they need to be kept away’,” he added.

Considering the backlash and Virat Kohli’s Criticism, BCCI has allowed some relaxation for the players. As per a report in India Today, players can now get permission from the board if they want to keep their families on tours longer than the allowed time frame.

BCCI Family Policies

The current BCCI policies only allows the presence of family for a limited period of time during overseas tours for central contracted cricketers. The duration of family stay with the player varies as per the length and demands of the series schedules. However as conversations around mental and emotional health are gaining prominence BCCI is looking for a change at the present family stance.

Although there is still no confirmation from the board and the news are suggested as per some BCCI sources, who revealed that changes are underway and players can soon be allowed to have their families for a longer duration with prior permission from board.