Champions Trophy 2025: BCCI grants permission to Team India players’ families with THIS condition

The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly relaxed the rules on restricting Team India players’ families to join them in Dubai for the Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9. Though the hosts of the tournament is Pakistan, the Men in Blue will play all their matches in Dubai after the BCCI refused to send the team to Pakistan due to security concerns. 

According to the BCCI 10-month policy, which was issued after India’s disastrous Test tour of Australia, states that players’ families can stay with them for two weeks if the tournament or series stretches for 45 days or more. Otherwise, they are not allowed to accompany the players for the tour. Since Champions Trophy 2025 is for 20 days and the Men in Blue will be in Dubai for 25 days after arrival on February 15 (assuming their progression to the final), families will not be allowed to travel for the entire duration of the tournament. 

Also read: Champions Trophy 2025: Schedule, fixtures, format, venues, prize money and live streaming - Check all details

When the entire India squad left for Dubai from Mumbai Airport, the players’ families were not spotted accompanying them. However, the BCCI decided to put aside the policy and grant permission for families to join players in Dubai.

As per the report by Dainik Jagran, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to give permission to the players’ families to join them in Dubai for the Champions Trophy 2025. However, the board put a condition in place that the families will be only allowed to visit the player for any one match rather than all the matches of the Men in Blue in Dubai. It is up to the players which match they want for family members or wives to join them, accordingly the BCCI will grant them permission.

Just a few days before the India squad departed for Dubai, a senior player approached the BCCI with a request to tag his family to the UAE. However, his request was turned down by the board, citing 10-point guidelines for the players. As per the As per the report by Press Trust of India (PTI), the source close to BCCI stated that certain exceptions can be made if a player was willing to spend the money for his family stay in Dubai.

The Men in Blue are clubbed in Group A alongside Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. Rohit Sharma-led Team India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium on February 19. Thereafter, India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23, Sunday. The Men in Blue will look to avenge their Champions Trophy 2017 Final defeat. Then, India will take a week break before taking on New Zealand on March 2.

 Team India will be aiming to end their 12-year Champions Trophy title drought. The last time the Men in Blue clinched the title was in 2013 under the leadership of MS Dhoni, defeating England in a thrilling final. The Men in Blue reached the final in the 2017 edition of the tournament, but they were defeated by arch-rivals Pakistan. In 2002, India were the joint-winners of the Champions Trophy alongside Sri Lanka. Rohit Sharma will be looking to add another ICC trophy to his cabinet as a captain after leading the team to T20 World Cup triumph last year.