BCCI has slammed the door on family accompaniment for Team India during the T20 World Cup, enforcing a solitary journey for players to maximize mental fortitude. This hardline stance, rooted in performance optimization, arrives as the squad battles to restore its reputation.
Key fixtures include three home group games and a pivotal Pakistan matchup in Colombo. Despite norms allowing limited family time—14 days for long hauls, seven for quick trips—BCCI has nixed all such provisions. Queries from management yielded a blunt rebuff.
Sources elaborate: families barred from official stays, with options for private reunions. Reinstated in January post-COVID waivers, the protocol insists on team-exclusive logistics, believing spousal or familial presence risks diluting the competitive grind, notably overseas.
Recent form fuels the rationale: a humiliating 0-3 T20 sweep by New Zealand in India, trailed by a 1-3 Border-Gavaskar reversal Down Under. These jolts underscored the perils of distraction, galvanizing BCCI to prioritize collective immersion.
Buoyed by a USA scalp, India confronts Namibia in Delhi on Thursday, priming for the February 15 Pakistan fireworks in Colombo. With Super Sixes in sight, this no-frills approach might strip away noise, unleashing a streamlined force primed for World Cup conquest.