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BCCI bans WAGs on India tour of Sri Lanka 2015

India will also be without Ravi Shastri for a major part of the tour.

BCCI bans WAGs on India tour of Sri Lanka 2015
Virat Kohli (left) was seen cheered by Anushka Sharma during India’s tour to Australia earlier this year © IANS

The Virat Kohli-led India squad to Sri Lanka this August will not be allowed to take their wives and girlfriends as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have decided to maintain the earlier protocol. According to a report in the Indian Express, a top BCCI official was quoted as saying, “Most of the players on tour are just coming off a month-long break where they had enough time to spend with their families. And we’ve decided that their wives will not be allowed on tour.” It is also learnt that the team will be touring Sri Lanka without a head coach and regular team director, Ravi Shastri, who is busy in England covering the Ashes as a Television analyst for Sky Sports.

India will play a three-day warm-up match at Premadasa Stadium, Colombo before the three-Test match series kicks off. India will travel with Bharat Arun, Sanjay Bangar and R Sridhar. “Shastri will join the team a bit late as he is presently a pundit on a post-match show on Sky Sports for the Ashes series. He had informed the BCCI about it and as we finalised the BCCI itinerary a bit late, he had already taken permission to skip the early part.”

Earlier, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur indicated that the board will take a call on the matter of a head coach for India prior to the upcoming home series against South Africa. He also claimed that major part of the coach selection responsibility lies in the hands of the recently-appointed cricket committee comprising of VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar. About Ravi Shastri’s role as team India director, Thakur said he will remain in his position till the end of Sri Lanka away series and matter of prolonging his contract is yet to be discussed.

The three-member cricket committee, which includes big names like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, has been entrusted with the job of suggesting names for the post of chief coach. BCCI will wait for their suggestions,” Thakur said.

“Shastri has been the given the charge of the team till the Sri Lanka series. We will probably take a call on the coaching staff before the South Africa tour begins at home in October. If the cricket committee suggests the name of a coach, the board will pursue it and do the needful. Till then, the current arrangement will continue,” Thakur added.

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