The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has allowed cricketers’ families and partners to watch one match of the Champions Trophy 2025.
However, the Indian players need to inform the Board and seek permission from them before the game.
The Indian Board has taken strict steps to limit family time on tours after humiliating results in the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. India will play all their Champions Trophy matches at the Dubai International Stadium.
Placed in Group A, India will play their group stage matches against Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand. If they qualify for the semi-final and the final of the tournament, they will play two more matches at the same venue.
“While the focus remains on team bonding and ensuring players are together without any distractions, the BCCI has decided to allow cricketers to take their family members (parents or wives) to one match during the Champions Trophy.”
“However, this is allowed only after prior permission is sought from the board. Players will have to inform the BCCI about the match they wish to have their family attend, and permission will be granted accordingly,” said a BCCI source.
India board had taken necessary steps after their defeats in back to back test series. While the diktats were never made official, it seemed that the BCCI had made sure that the India players put their focus back on training and team bondig and less personal time with their individual family members.
This came after the Indian team lost the Border Gavaskar 3-1 in Australia. The team was not only hammered in the Test series, media reports coming out of Australia also suggested that the mood in the dressing room was off as well.
Sources has told that BCCI were not going to allow wives and girlfriends to travel for an extended period of time on tours. It is clear that it has been made mandatory for the players to travel together on team buses and that they have also been asked to pay for extra luggage.
Coming to the Champions Trophy campaign, India will play their first match against Bangladesh on February 20 at Dubai.
