Bengaluru, March 17: Indian team's star batsman Virat Kohli has advocated that the players should be accompanied by their family members during the tour of the Indian cricket team. He is of the opinion that when the family members are around them, they can create balance and harmony among the players, reported ESPNcricinfo.com.
Speaking at the Royal Challengers Bangalore Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit in Bengaluru ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League 2025, Virat Kohli said, “When the players are with their family members, people cannot understand how much relief it gives them. But I am really upset that those who have no idea of what will happen next bring such ideas to the forefront of the discussion and create the impression that" maybe the players should be kept away from their families," he said.
Virat Kohli expressed his displeasure saying that no player wants to sit alone and feel lonely when he performs poorly during the tour.
During the recent tour of the Indian team to Australia, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had issued guidelines barring family members from accompanying the Indian team players. In the case of a tour of Australia lasting more than 45 days, the guidelines restricted the family members, spouses and children of the players to join them after the first two weeks of the tour. In the case of short-term tours, players were allowed to stay with their family members for up to a week.
In the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy held during the recently concluded tour of Australia, the Indian team lost 1-3 against the Australian team.