BCCI's travel policy gets its first test at ICC Champions Trophy

Indian cricket team's families won’t be able to accompany them to the UAE for the 2025 Champions Trophy, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s policy comes into effect and takes its first big test.
The BCCI’s new set of rules, labelled 'Policy Document for Team India', was issued in January after a review of India's disappointing 3-1 defeat against Australia in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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With the Champions Trophy starting on February 19 and running until March 9, it is under 45 days in duration. As such, families are not allowed to join the players. Had it been a tour of over 45 days, families would have been allowed to accompany for two weeks.
India are due to play their group games against Bangladesh (February 20), Pakistan (February 23) and New Zealand (March 2) in Dubai. The tournament will also take place in Pakistan.
What did the policy document say?
The 10-point BCCI policy document reads: "Players absent from India for more than 45 days during overseas tours can be joined by their partners and children (under 18) for one visit per series (format wise) of up to a two-week period. Any deviation from this policy must be pre-approved by the coach, captain and GM Operations. Additional expenses outside the visitors' period will not be covered by the BCCI."
Accordingly, families can be with the players during their June-August five-Test tour of England.
Some rules already in play
One of the points in the policy document stressed on team building and doing away with personal vehicles for the squad members. During the five-match T20I series and three-match ODI series against England, the Indian team travelled together.
Another rule, on players being required to play domestic cricket, has also been followed by some. Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shivam Dube turned up for Mumbai. KL Rahul (Karnataka), Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra) and Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (Delhi) have also played the red-ball tournament.