Mohit Sharma Adds His Voice to BCCI Family Policy Controversy
The BCCI's latest move on restricting family members from accompanying players on tours has triggered another volley of criticism, this time from seasoned fast bowler Mohit Sharma. Just days after Virat Kohli kicked off the public debate, Sharma has stepped in to question whether the presence of family can ever be a negative force in the high-pressure world of top-tier cricket.
Here's how the new rules work: for long tours over 45 days, families can join players only after the first two weeks, and even then, just for 14 days. If the schedule is shorter—say, less than 45 days—players get only a week with their loved ones. And it's not just international matches; the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season will have these limits too, including a ban on families inside team dressing rooms and even requiring separate vehicles for travel—even for immediate family.
Players and Community React to the Restrictive Family Rule
The outcry isn't about missing a few photo ops or after-match hugs. For players, family isn't just company—it's a support system, a way to reset mentally after tough matches and punishing travel. Kohli, at a recent sports summit, didn't mince words about the importance of emotional stability, reminding everyone that long stretches on the road without family can pile on the stress and affect performance.
Mohit Sharma echoed the sentiment but added a dose of realism, saying, "How can the presence of families be a bad thing?" He acknowledged that players don't get the final call on these matters, but stressed that the value of family can't be discounted—even if the bureaucrats think otherwise.
Why make such strict rules now? The BCCI rolled out these changes after India lost 3-1 to Australia in the latest Border-Gavaskar Trophy. There's talk that cricket boards want to scale down distractions and keep teams insulated for better performance—maybe a reaction to tough losses or just a desire for tighter control on tours. Yet, there's little evidence that family time actually harms focus. In fact, most past incidents where performance dipped had nothing to do with loved ones tagging along.
Players across teams have privately voiced concerns, worrying that erasing family from the equation will erode morale. Former and current cricketers say it's one thing to protect boundaries during games but another to keep families out for weeks on end, especially with relentless international and domestic schedules.
As the 2025 cricket season approaches, this family rule remains firmly in place, but so does the criticism. With high-profile names like Virat Kohli and Mohit Sharma speaking up, the debate over mental health and performance support for Indian cricketers is far from over.
