Virat Kohli Expresses Disappointment On BCCI's Restrictions For Family, Says Don't Want To Sit Alone

Ace Indian batter Virat Kohli has expressed disappointment on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s decision not to allow players' families to be with them on tours. Speaking at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit before IPL 2025, Virat Kohli said, presence of loved ones brings balance and normalcy to players' lives, especially during challenging times.

The BCCI had taken strict calls to limit family time on tours after India's 3-1 defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The BCCI's new rules state that players' immediate families can join them only after the first two weeks of a tour lasting over 45 days, and for up to a week on shorter tours.

Importance of Family Support

"It is very difficult to explain to people how grounding it is to just come back to your family every time you have something intense, which happens on the outside," Virat said. He added that people often don't understand the value of having family around and are quick to suggest keeping them away.

Virat Kohli emphasised that no player wants to "sit alone and sulk" after a poor performance. He stressed the importance of returning home to family life, which allows players to treat their game as a responsibility and then return to normalcy.

Virat's Recent Achievements

Recently, Virat was part of India's ICC Champions Trophy-winning team. He was the second-highest run-scorer for India and fifth overall, with 218 runs in five matches at an average of 54.50. His notable performances included an unbeaten century against Pakistan and an 84-run knock against Australia in the semifinals.

Looking ahead, Virat will participate in RCB's IPL 2025 season opener against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 22 at Eden Gardens. With aspirations for a maiden IPL title, he also aims to break more batting records. Currently, he holds the record for most runs in IPL history with 8,004 runs in 252 matches.

IPL Performance Highlights

Last season, Virat secured the Orange Cap by scoring 741 runs at an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.69. His performance included a century, five fifties, and 38 sixes. Despite a challenging start where RCB won only one out of eight matches, they made an impressive comeback with six consecutive wins to reach the playoffs.

"Like, there could be different situations happening in your life all the time. And that allows you to be absolutely normal," Virat stated about balancing cricket with personal life. He cherishes spending time with his family whenever possible.