Virat Kohli's recent comments about the BCCI's family policy for overseas tours have led to speculation that the Indian cricket board might reconsider the rule. However, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia put those rumors to rest on Wednesday, stating that the policy, along with the newly established SOPs for the Indian team, "will remain unchanged."

Saikia told Cricbuzz, "At this point, the current policy is crucial for both our nation and the BCCI, so it will stay as is."

This family rule is part of BCCI's 10-point directive, created after India's disappointing performance in Test cricket. The team, led by Rohit Sharma, faced a historic whitewash at home against New Zealand last October, followed by a defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. The rule states that players who are away from India for more than 45 days during overseas tours can have their partners and children (under 18) visit for one trip per series, lasting up to two weeks.

These SOPs were introduced during the Champions Trophy, but they didn't sit well with some players. Kohli, a former captain, expressed his concerns about the policy at a recent RCB event in Bengaluru.

"If you ask any player if they want their family around them all the time, the answer would be yes. I don’t want to go back to my room and just be alone and feel down. I want to live normally. Once you finish your responsibilities in the game, you can return to your life," he shared.

There could be a bit of bitterness...

Saikia mentioned that while some players might feel frustrated, the policy has been applied consistently across the entire Indian team, including the support staff.

"The BCCI understands that there could be some discontent or different viewpoints, as in any democratic environment, people have the right to voice their opinions," Saikia explained. "This policy is enforced equally for all team members—players, coaches, managers, support staff, and everyone involved—and it has been designed with everyone's best interests in mind."

He also pointed out that this policy wasn't just thrown together recently; it's been a longstanding part of the Indian team's framework.

"This policy hasn't been created overnight; it's been around for decades, going back to the playing days of our president, Roger Binny, and maybe even before that," he noted.

Saikia added that the new policy is an update to the old one, introducing new rules about players attending practice sessions, match schedules, tours, luggage, team movements, and other related activities, all aimed at fostering team unity and cohesion.

However, he did leave the door open for potential changes to the rule in the future.

"The BCCI has extended the time family members can spend with players during overseas tours and is open to relaxing the rules under special circumstances, but this will follow a proper process," he stated.

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