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Michael Clarke thinks BCCI might struggle to find the right ‘balance’ for every Indian player in their family time diktat.
Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke (Photo by ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)
Michael Clarke said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s new diktat restricting family time for Indian men’s cricketers might be a ‘touchy’ subject for a few players who struggle to stay alone away from home. He said it is always difficult to find the ‘balance’ in this area with players of different ages.
The BCCI has said players can only have their families around for 15 days for every 45 days of a tour. This and other stringent directives came after India lost 3-1 to Australia in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Although the BCCI haven’t made them public, they have been leaked on social media platforms.
“The one I found hard, because throughout my career, we went both sides with players, wives, and partners only being allowed sometimes, not being allowed on other times, then being allowed the whole time,” Clarke said on ESPN’s Around the Wicket. “The balance was difficult. You got guys who were older, who were married with kids, you got guys that are single.”
“So, from the perspective of the team, if the partners are not allowed to come the whole time, is the single guy allowed to bring someone back to the hotel bar and have a drink with her? Where’s the balance? I don’t know how it is going to work. I just think it is a really touchy one because some people find it more difficult being away from home,” the former Australia captain added.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar didn’t directly address the issue in their recent press conference.
Shows India’s culture is very different to Australia’s: Clarke
Another important point in the diktat was asking the international stars to feature in domestic cricket in every break from India. Clarke wondered why the BCCI needed to put it in writing, and found it different from Australian culture.
“It shows India’s culture is very different to Australia’s. Because a lot of those things in the Australian team are a no-brainer, are a given as part of being in that international setup. The first-class cricket one, for example, to me, I think is great. Our domestic system has been strong, and it’s because players go back generally when they can, and play Sheffield Shield Cricket, BBL, One-Day, whatever it is,” Clarke said.
“There are some other points there that I don’t know why it is even a conversation, I don’t know why it needs to be in writing,” he added.
India’s next tour would be to the UAE for the 2025 Champions Trophy in February and then to England for five Tests in June.
