Follow UsEarlier this year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had made strict amendments to their SOP, banning families from travelling with the players. While it has certainly got a lot of upvotes from different sections but it hasn’t got them a fan in former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina.
Raina has slammed BCCI’s new rule, stating it is ‘essential to have family on tour’.
“It is very important to have family on the tour. I’m against BCCI’s latest rule. Family helps players turn their form around. If Virat [Kohli] isn’t in the best of form, and he sees his daughter, he will score runs and make a statement,” Raina told Ranveer Allahbadia on his new show ‘Taakat’.
“Family needs to be together, and if not for my wife, I wouldn’t have been the Player of the match back in 2018 [against South Africa].”
The left-handed batter also opened up about ‘mental health issues’, and how cricketers are often scared of opening up to teammates and coaches.
“You do have mental health issues. When you have a phase where nothing is working for you and you are down. There are a lot of people in the same race for your spot, and you fear getting dropped,” he said.
Raina reckoned that having family on tour becomes even more crucial for players who are suffering a low in their form, as they can always open up to them without the fear of getting dropped.
“But how you control that is important, and that’s when you need your people. You always doubt people if they will tell the coach or the captain. Players hesitate because they fear getting dropped. But if your family is there, they will support you.”