The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formally handed over the SOP guidelines related to travel, nets, luggage allowances, and accompanying family members to all the ICC Champions Trophy 2025-bound cricketers, according to the report. A few months back, BCCI issued new SOP guidelines for all the Indian national cricket team cricketers. This decision comes after Team India's shambolic 4-1 Test series against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Team India Head Coach Gautam Gambhir Lauds Men in Blue Cricketers After Their 3-0 ODI Series Victory Against England, Calls Them 'Fearless.'

As per Cricbuzz, the new SOP guidelines by the BCCI were told to players during the recent third ODI against the England national cricket team in Ahmedabad. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025-bound cricketers' guidelines are largely disciplinary and are non-negotiable. It is understood that the new SOP guidelines by the BCCI will kick in during the Champions Trophy 2025. The touring manager has been authorised to ensure all rules and regulations.

The report further added that Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) secretary R Devraj will be the manager of Team India during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and has been strictly instructed to follow the SOP. "There is no going back on this and the players have made aware that the BCCI is very serious about the SOPs," a team source in the know of the development, told Cricbuzz.

The most important thing under SOPs is the restriction on individual staff during tours. The guidelines state that personal staff (like personal managers, chefs, and security) are to be restricted on tours or series unless it is approved by the Indian Cricket Board. The decision is taken to reduce team logistical challenges. "The BCCI is very strict about this rule," the source said to Cricbuzz. India's Official 15-Member Squad For ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Announced: Jasprit Bumrah Ruled Out, Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy Included

BCCI has also instructed that Team India cricketers will have to travel in a team bus rather than personal vehicles after the completion of net sessions. "All players are expected to travel with the team to and from matches and practice sessions. Separate travel arrangements with families are discouraged to maintain discipline and team cohesion. Exceptions, if any, must be pre approved by the head coach and Chairman of the Selection Committee," the advisory states as quoted by Cricbuzz.

The India national cricket team is expected to leave for Dubai in the coming days. Men in Blue will face Bangladesh on February 20 in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The high-voltage Pakistan clash is on February 23, followed by the last group stage match against New Zealand. India is placed in Group A.

India’s squad for ICC Champions Trophy, 2025: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Non Travelling substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube. The three players will travel to Dubai as and when required.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 13, 2025 08:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).