Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh came down hard on BCCI’s new ten-point policy document aimed at bringing unity among players following Team India’s horrid run in Tests in the past four months.

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Besides being transparent on why India lost six out of the last eight contested Tests (three to New Zealand at home and three against Australia Down Under), Harbhajan sounded stunned over why the mentioned policies come across as something new for the players and the fans.

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According to Harbhajan, who played close to 15 years for Team India, winning two World Cups, a Champions Trophy and having picked over 700 wickets across formats, at least nine of the ten mentioned policies were always there in place; further asking if they come out as new changes, who altered it before and why was it done in the first place.

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Among the ten changed policies the BCCI decided upon following a high-profile meeting in Mumbai early this week, a restriction on the duration of players’ families staying with them (on the short and long tours), all players, if not representing the country across any series must play the domestic cricket, and those not abiding by it bound to face repercussions beyond selection snub, are the top highlights.  

"Let me first put this on record. When I was reading the travel policy document reported by the media, I hardly found anything new from the last time I represented India as a centrally-contracted cricketer," Harbhajan said in a chat with PTI.

"At least nine out of 10 points, including duration of family visits, staying in the same hotel, practice timings, all are same. My question is, if these rules were in place during my time, who all have altered it and when? That should be probed," Harbhajan continued. 

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‘We didn’t lose because of…’

One of the points mentioned was that the BCCI barred players' wives and partners from staying with them beyond two weeks on long tours and seven days on short ones.

Reflecting on this, Harbhajan said these pointers show that everyone looks diverted from the main issue, which was poor form and application of the technique against pace, bounce and spin, which caught Indian batters by the throat during the past two series.

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“We are deviating from the main issue. We didn't lose 1-3 because the wives and partners were there for two months. We didn't lose because someone travelled separately.

"We lost because we have played very poor cricket at times. We didn't bat well even at home. We have players who are horribly out of form. What are the course corrections being made? Or is it just these off-the-field things being discussed?" Harbhajan questioned.

(With inputs from agencies)