Veteran cricketer Kapil Dev advocates balanced family time on tours
What's the story
Former Indian cricket captain, Kapil Dev, has thrown his weight behind the idea of players taking their families along on tours.
The statement comes in light of a recent directive by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The board has restricted the span of visits on long tours, allowing only 14 days of family time.
Senior batter Virat Kohli recently spoke on the important of players' staying connected with their families on tours.
BCCI's policy
BCCI's directive limits family visits on long tours
The BCCI's new directive allows families to accompany players only after the first two weeks of a tour exceeding 45 days.
For shorter tours, families are allowed for a maximum of one week.
The decision was taken after India's recent Test series loss to Australia Down Under. The Rohit Sharma-led Team India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3.
Balanced approach
Dev emphasizes need for balance
Kapil Dev, who led India to the 1983 World Cup title, stressed on the need to strike a balance between family presence and team commitment.
Speaking at the 'Kapil Dev Grant Thornton Invitational' event, he said while families are important, so is a constant team.
He remembered how during his time, teams would choose to focus on cricket first and then call families in later stages of their tours.
Player support
Kohli voices support for family presence on tours
Virat Kohli, the backbone of Team India, earlier spoke in favor of having family members travel with players on tours. He feels personal support is important during tough times on the field.
Kohli said at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit: "If you ask any player, do you want your family to be around you all the time? You'll be like, yes."
Added support
Family presence helps players take more responsibility
Further explaining, Kohli said having family around during grueling tours, especially during tough times, can help players take more responsibility.
He stressed on the importance of being "normal" rather than locked up in hotel rooms.
Notably, the BCCI has also applied the same family restrictions to the IPL for the 2025 season. As per these guidelines, families are not permitted in the dressing room and have to travel separately instead of team busses.