"Some abuse would have happened, that's why the rule is being talked about" - Aakash Chopra on the BCCI's new rules for Indian players' travel

Former player Aakash Chopra has noted that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) forcing the team to travel together for practice and matches implies that the rule may have been abused. He highlighted that such a process has been followed forever.

India lost 1-3 in and against Australia in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. After reviewing the result in a meeting with Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir, and Ajit Agarkar, the BCCI came out with a few rules, including making it mandatory for players to travel together for practice and matches.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener opined that the new travel guideline implies the rule may have been flouted.

"Players cannot travel separately with families. All players are expected to travel with the team to and from matches and practice sessions. I am extremely surprised by this rule as to why did it come. Going for practice or the match is with the team only," he said (6:20).

"There is a time to leave the hotel. Then you are together on the ground and everyone leaves together after practice. This has been happening forever. If someone wants to practice more, he requests the coach, but someone leaving early, is something like that also happening? Some abuse would have happened, that's why the rule is being talked about," Chopra added.

Aakash Chopra highlighted that the explicit mention of the rule suggests that players were traveling in their own vehicles or with their families. He added that the meaning of 'team' was finished if that was the case.

---

"I am pretty sure everyone wouldn't have been doing that" - Aakash Chopra on players not traveling together

Yashasvi Jaiswal reportedly missed the team bus once during the Australia tour. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that all players wouldn't have been traveling separately and pointed out that Yashasvi Jaiswal's reported incident was a different issue.

"I am pretty sure everyone wouldn't have been doing that. Yashasvi Jaiswal couldn't reach recently. He got late. You get punishment when you are late. Then you are asked to take a taxi and pay the fare, and get a punishment apart from that. That's a separate story," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the person flouting the rule and the one who allowed him to do so should both be called out.

"However, if someone is saying that he has come with his family and will meet the team at the practice session as he is not staying in the team hotel but elsewhere, that he has his bungalow or it's his city, then why should he travel with the team, please go and find out whoever allowed it and call that person out," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra noted that players would need permission from the head coach and the chairman of selectors if they need to travel separately. While acknowledging that it might seem like schooling, he added that such things are bound to happen if rules are abused.