Indian cricket has seen significant changes since the conclusion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. After returning from an unsatisfactory series, Team India faced a 10-point directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which imposed restrictions on certain team activities. One of the major changes was banning players from bringing personal chefs, stylists, or other staff on overseas tours. However, when the team landed in Dubai for the ICC Champions Trophy campaign, Virat Kohli found a clever solution to his food preferences.
According to a report from the Times of India, Kohli had a food packet delivered to him shortly after reaching the training venue. Despite the BCCI’s ban on personal chefs, Kohli managed to satisfy his food cravings in a creative way. He reportedly spoke to a local team manager who understood his needs in detail and brought him a packet from a well-known food outlet.
“It had a few boxes of Kohli’s post-session meal. While the others packed their kit bags, Kohli was refueling and even saved a box for the road,” the report mentioned.
The BCCI‘s 10-point directive included a clause stating, “Players can no longer bring personal staff like chefs, security guards, or assistants on tours unless explicitly approved by the BCCI.”
Under the new rules, everyone in the team, including players and support staff, is required to follow these protocols. Even head coach Gautam Gambhir, who had his Personal Assistant accompany him to various team locations, was asked to stay at a different hotel.
The BCCI’s decision also led to veteran players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja returning to play in the Ranji Trophy. Although it wasn’t a particularly successful outing for Rohit and Virat, the board has clearly signaled its commitment to promoting domestic cricket with these new regulations.
In Team India’s first net session in Dubai, Virat Kohli was reportedly the first to face the net. He, along with Rohit, faced the pace duo of Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer were seen hitting aggressively, so much so that the support staff had to be cautious of balls coming their way.
India begins its Champions Trophy campaign on February 20 against Bangladesh, followed by a high-profile match against Pakistan on February 23. All of India’s matches will take place in Dubai.
