No WAGs in Sri Lanka, BCCI reportedly tells Indian players
Looks like the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has banned WAGs (wives and girlfriends) from accompanying players to the Sri Lanka tour starting in August.
“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,” a top BCCI official was quoted as saying in an Indian Express report.The BCCI had reportedly banned WAGs from the World Cup in Australia earlier this year too.
The squad that travelled to Zimbabwe for the three ODIs and two T20Is was bereft of senior players — which means a majority of the squad which will travel to Sri Lanka have been on a break since the tour of Bangladesh ended.
Not just the WAGs, but even Team Director Ravi Shastri won’t be in the initial travelling party to Sri Lanka. The former captain is working as an analyst for Sky Sports for the ongoing Ashes in England and will join the team only on the day the first Test begins (12 August).
Shastri had already given his committment to the sports channel and since the BCCI decided on the Sri Lanka itinerary late, the board has not taken objection to Shastri joining the team late.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur recently said that the panel comprising of Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman will most probably recommend a name before South Africa’s tour to India begins in September.
India play three Tests in Sri Lanka and the tour lasts till 1 September.