ICC Champions Trophy 2025: BCCI takes U-turn; gives a special permission to Indian players' families

In good news for the Indian players, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has permitted players' respective families to watch one match of the upcoming Champions Trophy.

The permission from the BCCI comes after the board had introduced strict rules regarding the players' families and their stay during the tours. These rules were introduced after India's poor performance in Australia earlier this year when they lost the Test series 1-3 to the hosts.

As they lost the series, the Men in Blue also failed to qualify for the World Test Championship Final. After the loss, the performance of the team was reviewed and various issues were addressed regarding the presence of the players' families during tours.

Also read: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: PCB reveals reason behind absence of Indian flag in Pakistan stadiums

BCCI gives special permission to families of Indian players

According to Dainik Jagran, the BCCI has granted permission for players' families to watch one match in the Champions Trophy 2025. It is a significant decision from the board who had earlier indicated that the families won't be allowed for a tour of less than 45 days.

BCCI has granted permission to watch one game for players families in Champions Trophy. [Abhishek Tripathi From Dainik Jagran] pic.twitter.com/Du6zvpYZ58

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 18, 2025

The players didn't bring their families with them for this tournament as they used to do on earlier tours. The report also states that a top member of the team management had a chat with the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia before the team's departure to Dubai.

It was agreed that the players can apply for their families' presence for just one game if they want to do so. However, it is not yet clear whether any player has applied for such a request so far or not.

It is up to the players to decide whether they want their families by their side or not. Some players might prefer to have their families' presence while others might not prefer to do it since it's a short tournament that will span for less than 20 days.

What is the new rule regarding players' families?

The BCCI introduced a 10-point plan last month after disciplinary issues were found with Team India. The players' families were allowed to travel with them earlier but it is no longer the case now.

According to the new regulations, the families can stay for no longer than 2 weeks on a tour of 45 days or more. If a tour is less than 4 days, the families can stay for no longer than one week.

Apart from this, the families cannot be with the players for the first two weeks of the tour. If a player wants the duration to be increased in emergency cases, he will need permission from the coach, captain, and GM of operations.

A rule also made it mandatory for the players to travel together in a team bus rather than traveling separately on private vehicles. The rule was misused on various occasions before the board wanted to make sure that there was unity within the team.

India's schedule for Champions Trophy 2025

Team India will begin its Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai. The Men in Blue will then face arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23.

India will sign off their group stage campaign with a match against New Zealand on March 2. Rohit Sharma and his men will play all the matches in Dubai after the tournament was allowed to be played in a hybrid model.