Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that bans players’ families from accompanying them on tours — calling the decision damaging to both mental health and on-field performance.
Speaking on Taakat, the new show hosted by Ranveer Allahbadia, Raina emphasized the emotional and psychological benefits of having family present during long international campaigns.
“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 said.
Raina: Family support is key to performance under pressure
Drawing on his own experience, the former Chennai Super Kings and India middle-order mainstay cited a personal example from a 2018 series in South Africa to underline just how impactful family support can be in high-pressure moments.
“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],” he recalled.
This statement adds weight to the argument that emotional stability and a support system off the field directly affect performance on it — especially in the grueling modern cricket calendar.
Mental health, fear of being dropped, and the value of having ‘your people’
Beyond performance, Raina also touched on the unspoken mental health battles players endure, often in silence. According to him, the high-stakes environment makes players reluctant to open up to teammates or coaching staff due to fear of being sidelined.
“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,” Raina said.
He believes that in such vulnerable moments, players need the presence of people they can trust — and that’s often their family.
“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.”
The bigger picture: Are SOPs forgetting the human element?
Raina’s comments come at a time when player wellbeing has become a global talking point across sports. With the BCCI’s revised SOPs drawing mixed reactions, his remarks shed light on a growing concern — that cricket boards must find a balance between discipline, logistics, and mental wellness.
As one of the first high-profile voices to challenge the BCCI’s new policy, Raina’s message is clear: cricket is as much a mental game as it is physical, and family could be the hidden advantage many players need — not a distraction to be kept at bay.
