While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rolled out a new set of rules, including a cap on the weight of luggage the players can carry for overseas assignments, an interesting piece of information has come to light from India’s tour of Australia.
According to a report by Dainik Jagran, a Team India star player made the BCCI pay for more than 27 bags during the tour Down Under. Not only for the bags belonging to the player, but the board had to pay for the luggage of his family members and personal staff’. The weight of the bags went above 250kg, for which the board had to pay, the report added.
The bags contained 17 bats and other items belonging to the player’s family and personal staff.
The BCCI policy clearly states that the luggage belonging to a player’s family and personal staff is supposed to be carried separately. However, the player got the BCCI to manage all that as part of his luggage.
Apart from this, the report claimed that during the entire course of the tour, the family members of the player under the spotlight were with him. The BCCI had to bear the cost of getting the player’s and his family members’ stuff from India to Australia and vice-versa. Though the exact figure is not known, the amount is expected to be in lakhs.
BCCI tightens rules
Acting on these bad influences, the BCCI put certain rules in place since the Australia tour.
As per the new rule, the board has clarified that it would only bear the cost of luggage up to 150 kg per player.
Also, the players are now required to travel on the team bus for matches, and no player is being given permission to make personal arrangements for team travel.
With Team India preparing to fly to Dubai for the ICC Champions Trophy, the BCCI has also issued a strict diktat. The BCCI has made family members of the players ineligible to accompany them on the tour, reported PTI, adding the rules remain the same for everyone.
