Hurt by back-to-back Test Series losses and being out of the World Test Championship, the BCCI has finally cracked the whip on the men’s national team.

BCCI is very serious about the fresh guidelines, and noncompliance with them may result in disciplinary action and also a player’s exclusion from all forms of cricket, including the IPL.

To promote discipline, unity, and a positive team environment, BCCI created guidelines on the Dos and Don’ts to be followed by all contracted players.

The implementation of these guidelines is immediate, marking a significant shift in the BCCI’s management of Indian cricket

BCCI Guidelines to Be Followed

Players cannot travel separately to tours/matches/training

Players, especially the senior members, were found to not follow the Team bus protocol and, in some cases, travelled separately on tours.

According to BCCI, this hurt the overall atmosphere in the dressing room, as the players did not spend enough time together as a unit, as was the case a decade back.

The head coach’s pre-approved clearance was required for any deviation from the above.

This meant that players were expected to stay for the entire duration of scheduled practice sessions and travel back only by team bus with the team.

Players have been told to remain with the team and stick to the official scheduled travel itinerary even if games ended before time.

Families can be around for a maximum of two weeks on long tours

Families were allowed to travel with the players in the post-Covid era to give them much-needed family time.

Also Read: India Out Of World Test Championship | Why India Lost The Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

This privilege was misused by players.

For example, some families traveled with players for the entire 55 days of the Australian tour.

The New Guideline has now restricted families to a maximum of 2 weeks in long tours.

This will avoid distraction and help players focus on the task at hand.

The families can visit only once and the player has to arrange their travel arrangements after approval from the coach, captain, and the Manager.

BCCI to cover shared accommodation with the player for the family’s approved visit period and expenses to be borne by the player.

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No traveling with personal staff

Only players to travel with the team and restrict additional personal support staff of players.

Restrictions also brought on players’ (personal) commercial shoots on tours or during a series to ensure full focus on the tour

Domestic cricket ‘mandatory’ for national selection

Player’s involvement in domestic cricket ceases to exist once they establish themselves in the Indian cricket team. This sets a wrong precedent

Sometime back BCCI mandated all players to make themselves available in domestic cricket when they are not engaged in international cricket which was not followed by all.

BCCI has now made it compulsory to play domestic cricket for players to be eligible for a central contract, IPL, and be eligible for India team selection from hereon and to avoid sanctions to the player.

This will ensure players remain connected to the domestic cricket ecosystem, maintain or regain form, and help young domestic players which will strengthen the overall domestic structure.

Sanju Samson angers BCCI, likely to remain out of the team

Sanju Samson looks to become the first player to face the wrath of BCCI.

His decision not to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy despite clear communication on the importance of domestic cricket will be taken up very seriously.

Source: X

This may lead to Sanju Samson not being selected for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Along with Sanju, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel are the likely contenders for the wicketkeeper-batsman role.

The Kerala Cricket Association did not include Sanju’s name in the squad after the Indian international made himself unavailable for a preparatory camp ahead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

After BCCI excluded Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the central contract list for a similar offense, Sanju Samson could likely face a similar punishment.