"How can the presence of families be a bad thing?” - DC pacer trashes BCCI policy ahead of IPL 2025

Delhi Capitals (DC) pacer Mohit Sharma has slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) mandate restricting the presence of family members on tours. The updated guidelines were issued in the aftermath of Team India's 1-3 loss in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series in Australia.

As per the new rules, families, which include spouses and children, can stay with the player for 14 days after two weeks of the tour's commencement, provided that the length of the said tour is over 45 days. If the tour duration is less than the aforementioned threshold, then the families can stay with the player only for a week.

The introduction of the rule was not met with unanimous approval, as players voiced their concerns. Mohit Sharma expressed his reservation against the rule but maintained that there is no point protesting against something that is not in their control.

“Some things are beyond our control. While we all have personal opinions, it's essential to focus on what we can manage. How can the presence of families be a bad thing? If something isn't in our hands, it's best to leave it as it is. Rather than commenting on such matters, we should concentrate on what we can control," Mohit Sharma told ANI (via Hindustan Times).

The BCCI has also introduced similar regimes into the IPL environment in extension to the one applied for Team India. As per the guidelines for the 2025 edition, families are not allowed in the dressing room and will be directed to travel in separate vehicles instead of the team bus.

"I don't want to go to my room and just sit alone and sulk" - Virat Kohli on BCCI's policy regarding family members ahead of IPL 2025

Team India ace batter Virat Kohli recently shared his thoughts about the BCCI's strict policy, claiming that it is counterproductive. Kohli's wife and Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma is often present during Team India's matches and was also there at the Dubai International Stadium for the 2025 Champions Trophy final on March 9.

"If you ask any player, do you want your family to be around you all the time? You'll be like, 'Yes.' I don't want to go to my room and just sit alone and sulk. I want to be able to be normal. And then you can really treat your game as something that is a responsibility. You finish that responsibility, and you come back to life,” Kohli said during Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit (via ESPNcricinfo).

The 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) will begin on March 22, with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens.