England cricketers during a practice session ahead of the first T20 match against India, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. (PTI)
With the Board of Control for Cricket in India recently issuing curbs on the time the players’ family can stay on tours, England captain Jos Buttler on Tuesday said that having family around does not have an effect on cricket, adding ‘it’s very manageable.’
“I think it’s important. We live in a day and age now which is a very modern world and it’s great to be able to have families on the tour with you, try to enjoy that. I don’t think it affects the cricket too much and it’s something that is very manageable,” Buttler said in a press conference at Eden Gardens ahead of the 1st T20I scheduled in Kolkata on Wednesday.
After India’s disastrous tour Down Under where the visitors lost the Border Gavaskar Trophy to Australia for the first time in 10 years, the Indian board on January 16 put out 10 guidelines to India’s centrally-contracted players.
Among them is an old policy which the BCCI brought back which will allow players to have their families (partners and children) for a maximum of 14 days, provided an away tour longer than 45 days.
It may be mentioned here that in recent years, especially since the onset of Covid, players were allowed to let their family stay for the entire duration of the tour. It was reported how some of the players were not available for informal team meetings and planning sessions, instead choosing to spend time with family.
Also, the BCCI made it mandatory for all the players to only use the team bus even if players have families accompanying them to the ground on match days. “All players are expected to travel with the team to and from matches and practice sessions. Separate travel arrangements with families are discouraged to maintain discipline and team cohesion,” the BCCI document stated.
As per the new guidelines, the Indian contingent have been coming to the Eden Gardens for practice in the team bus, marking a departure from previous instances where some of the players or support staff would occasionally travel in personal vehicles.
India will take on England in a white ball tour, starting on Wednesday with the first of 5 T20Is and end with a 3-match ODI series ahead of the highly-anticipated Champions Trophy.
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