Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh's wife, Hazel Keech, has expressed her support for the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) new rule limiting family time for players during tours. She believes that while prolonged separation can be challenging, the restriction helps cricketers stay focused on their game.

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Under the rule, players’ immediate family members—including partners and children—can stay with them for 14 days after the first two weeks of a tour lasting over 45 days. On shorter tours, families can accompany players for up to a week.

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“When Yuvi was playing international cricket, he would be away for long periods, which was difficult for families, especially those with small children. However, I noticed that when I was present at matches, he would often be concerned about me, affecting his focus. So, a limited-time allowance strikes a balance," Keech was quoted as saying to ANI.

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The BCCI introduced these restrictions following India’s 3-1 defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. While the guidelines were included in player contracts, they were temporarily relaxed during the COVID-19 pandemic to support players’ mental well-being.

Currently, the BCCI covers the accommodation costs of players’ families during tours but does not cover travel expenses.

'Won't tweak the guidelines'

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Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it clear that it won’t tweak the newly-implemented guidelines, including the 14-day cap on family travelling with the players on overseas tours.

However, in a recent interview, the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia clarified that the Board is in no mood to relax the rules. “The rules were implemented after rounds of discussions with the people who are at the helm of affairs,” Saikia said.

“This policy has not been formulated overnight as it was in place for the past couple of decades, dating back to the playing days of our president, Roger Binny and maybe earlier thereto,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)