The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is tightening the reins on player discipline with a new set of rules that puts team bonding front and centre. According to the latest policy, players who miss the team bus will no longer have the luxury of showing up in their personal vehicles—a move that’s already being implemented during the upcoming India-England white-ball series. The Indian team had a practice session on Sunday at the Eden Gardens, venue for the first T20I between India and England.
Team first, no exceptions for BCCI
The rules are crystal clear: everyone travels together, or you’ll need special permission to do otherwise. Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Snehasish Ganguly confirmed this strict approach, stating they’ve arranged only team buses for the Indian squad training at Eden Gardens. “We have to follow the guidelines, which clearly state that all players are expected to travel with the team to and from matches and practice sessions,” he told PTI.
This isn’t just about transportation; it’s part of a broader ten-point policy that emerged from a recent review meeting attended by head coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Rohit Sharma, and other administrators. Players now need to stick around until training sessions or matches wrap up completely; no early exits are allowed unless pre-approved by the head coach or chief selector.
On the contrary, chief selector Ajit Agarkar was quick to downplay any controversy, insisting these aren’t punitive measures. “You have some rules in place and when you’re playing for the national team you just follow those rules,” he explained at a recent press conference in Mumbai for the announcement of Team India’s squad for ICC Champions Trophy.
