Virat Kohli to BCCI: Let wives stay for full overseas tour; CoA says 'policy not to change soon'

Commenting on the request made by Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli requesting the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to allow the wives of players to accompany them for the whole duration of their overseas tour, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Sunday said that the policy will not change as of now and the decision on this matter will be taken by the new office bearers.

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Currently, the BCCI restricts the stay of wives of players and support staff with team to just two weeks on an overseas tour. “Yes he requested but we are not going to take any decision soon, we have said we will leave it to the new office bearers. Policy will not change now (sic),” a Committee of Administrators (CoA) source said news agency ANI.

Yes he requested but we are not going to take any decision soon,we have said we will leave it to the new office bearers. Policy will not change now: Committee of Administrators (CoA) Sources to ANI on Virat Kohli requests BCCI to allow wives for whole overseas tours pic.twitter.com/pEYyWmXl7H

— ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2018

“The request was made a few weeks back but as it is a BCCI policy decision, the manager will have to submit a formal request first. Anushka Sharma has been travelling with Kohli overseas, however, Kohli now wants the old rule to be abolished and a new policy should come up where wives should be allowed to travel with the Indian team,” a source was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

Kohli first broached the issue with a top BCCI official who in turn conveyed the team’s request to the Supreme Court-appointed CoA headed by Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji, said the source.

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This has been a contentious issue in the world of cricket. In the event of a loss, the wives and girlfriends are usually blamed. At present, most countries have restricted family time. 

In 2007, after an Ashes disaster, the England and Wales Cricket Board asked an independent sports administrator to determine the reasons for the 5-0 whitewash against Australia. The report recommended a limit on the time wives and girlfriends should be allowed on tour. This did not go well with players and England’s star batsman Kevin Pietersen had called the suggestion a “load of nonsense”.