Ahead of IPL 2025, Virat Kohli slams BCCI rule banning families on tours

Indian star batter Virat Kohli seemingly criticized the BCCI’s recent policy restricting players’ families from accompanying them on international tours, emphasizing the importance of familial support in maintaining balance and normalcy, especially during challenging times.

The Champions Trophy winner remarks follow the board’s decision to limit family visits to 14 days on tours exceeding 45 days and one week on shorter trips, a rule introduced after India’s 3-1 Test series loss to Australia earlier this year.

Why The Rule? Discipline Over Family Time

The BCCI’s 10-point policy, aimed at fostering discipline and unity, bars players from having families around during the initial weeks of long tours.

Any deviation from this policy requires pre-approval from the coach, captain, and General Manager of Operations, with additional costs to be borne by the players themselves.

Kohli, however, dismissed the logic, stating, ‘People who have no control over what’s going on are brought into conversations.’ The comments came when he was speaking at the RCB Innovation Lab Sports Summit ahead of IPL 2025

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Can’t Sit Alone And Sulk

Virat Kohli stressed that family presence helps players ‘stay grounded’ during high-pressure tours as not everyone would prefer to 'sit alone and sulk'. “It’s very difficult to explain how grounding it is to come back to family after something intense,” he said. “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,” he said (as per ESPN Cricinfo).

Champions Trophy Success Vs. BCCI Backlash

Notably, Kohli’s criticism comes despite his stellar form during India’s recent ICC Champions Trophy win, where he scored 218 runs in five matches, including a match-winning 100 against Pakistan and a crucial 84 in the semifinal against Australia.

What’s Next For Kohli? IPL 2025 Prep Begins

Meanwhile, the 36-year-old arrived in Bengaluru on Saturday to join Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of IPL 2025. Videos of his airport arrival, flanked by security, went viral on social media. As the IPL’s all-time leading run-scorer (8,004 runs in 252 matches), Kohli will support new captain Rajat Patidar in RCB’s quest for their maiden title.