Legendary Kapil Dev Backs Virat Kohli’s Criticism of BCCI’s Family Travel Policy
Legendary Indian cricketer Kapil Dev, a World Cup-winning captain, has voiced his support for Virat Kohli’s stance on the BCCI’s recently implemented family travel policy. Kohli, who is preparing for IPL 2025, criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for introducing the rule, which has sparked mixed reactions.
Following India’s 1-3 Test series defeat against Australia, the BCCI introduced new restrictions on family visits during tours. For tours exceeding 45 days, players’ families can join only after the first two weeks, with a maximum stay of 14 days. On shorter tours, family visits are limited to one week.
"I Feel Quite Disappointed About That" – Virat Kohli
Speaking at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit ahead of IPL 2025, Virat Kohli expressed his disappointment with the policy. He highlighted the challenges of explaining the grounding effect of returning to family amidst external pressures.
“It is very difficult to explain to people how grounding it is to come back to your family every time you have something intense happening on the outside. I don’t think people understand the value it brings. I feel quite disappointed about that,” Kohli said.
Kohli, like many Indian batters, had a tough time during the Test series against Australia, scoring only 190 runs in five matches, including one century. The series defeat also raised questions about Rohit Sharma’s future in Test cricket.
"It’s the Cricket Board’s Call" – Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev acknowledged the importance of family but emphasized that the decision ultimately lies with the cricket board. He stressed the need for a balance between family time and team commitments.
“Well, I don’t know, that’s individual. I think it’s the cricket board’s call. My view is, yes, you need family. But you also need a team, all the time,” said the 1983 World Cup-winning captain during the ‘Kapil Dev Grant Thornton Invitational’ event.
Players like Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Shami had their families accompany them during the recent Champions Trophy in Dubai. However, their families stayed separately at a different hotel, with players bearing the accommodation costs instead of the BCCI.
"The Family Should Come and Enjoy It Too" – Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev shared insights from his playing days, revealing that players themselves decided to dedicate the first half of a tour to cricket and the second half to family visits. He advocated for a balanced approach.
“In our time, we used to say to ourselves—not the cricket board—that the first half of the tour should be cricket, and in the second half, the family should come and enjoy it too. It should be a blend,” Kapil stated.
Looking Ahead to IPL 2025
Virat Kohli is set to make his 18th IPL appearance in 2025. He will represent Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 22.
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