Harbhajan Singh Slams BCCI’s New Guidelines: ‘That Is Not Gautam Gambhir’s Job’ Amidst Focus On Cricketing Failures

In a direct and candid take on the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) recent 10-point diktat aimed at instilling “discipline and unity” within the national cricket team, former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh voiced his discontent. Days after India’s disappointing 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the BCCI introduced a set of new guidelines for its centrally-contracted players. But according to Harbhajan, these policies are nothing new—just a rehash of what was already in place during his playing days.

Also Read: Who is Priya Saroj? 26-Year-Old Samajwadi Party MP Linked With Rinku Singh – In Pics

Harbhajan Questions the Timing and Relevance

The BCCI’s new rules come on the heels of a forgettable series for India, which saw poor performances against both New Zealand and Australia. The guidelines, which include mandatory participation in domestic cricket, restrictions on family and personal staff presence on tours, and a ban on individual commercial endorsements during series, have drawn criticism for their timing. Harbhajan believes the focus should have remained solely on the team’s cricketing performance, rather than on off-field matters.

Reflecting on the situation, Harbhajan stated, “We didn’t lose 1-3 because wives and partners were there for two months. We didn’t lose because someone travelled separately. We lost because we played poor cricket.” He further emphasized that India’s dismal performances were not linked to off-the-field distractions but were due to issues on the field—such as poor batting and players being out of form. Harbhajan’s sentiment was echoed by his former teammate, Irfan Pathan, who shared similar concerns over the implementation of the new policy.

BCCI’s “Fresh Documentation” Draws Criticism

For Harbhajan, the 10-point policy issued by the BCCI felt more like “fresh documentation” rather than a genuine attempt at instituting new guidelines. He pointed out that most of the rules mentioned, including family visit duration, hotel stays, and practice timings, had already been in place during his time as a centrally-contracted cricketer. “At least nine out of 10 points, including duration of family visits, staying in the same hotel, and practice timings—all are the same,” Harbhajan said.

He went on to question when and by whom these rules had been altered, adding that such matters should be thoroughly investigated. “If these rules were in place during my time, who altered them and when? That should be probed.”

The cricketer also made it clear that the focus should be on fixing the team’s on-field performance, rather than being sidetracked by off-the-field issues. He criticized the BCCI’s approach, suggesting that the new diktat might be diverting attention from crucial areas that need immediate address.

The Role of the Head Coach and Administrative Oversight

One of the more contentious points in the new guidelines is the clause requiring players to obtain prior approval from head coach Gautam Gambhir for certain matters. Harbhajan strongly disagreed with this aspect, stating that the head coach’s role should strictly be on-field and in the technical aspects of the game. “In our times, it used to be written that prior approval from BCCI was needed on certain matters. So, for approvals, you could drop a mail to BCCI. Why does the head coach need to get into all this? That is not his job,” Harbhajan asserted.

He suggested that the administrative duties should be left to those competent within the BCCI, while the head coach’s responsibility should center around the team’s performance and strategy. Harbhajan made it clear that the BCCI needed to ensure that players were focused on improving their cricketing skills rather than being bogged down by excessive administrative matters.

A New Era of Cricket Management

While Harbhajan is certainly not opposed to maintaining discipline within the team, he believes that the current policy lacks innovation. For instance, he mentioned that during his playing days, legendary cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and Rahul Dravid never left the team to travel back to their respective homes when matches ended early. Instead, they stayed and moved to the next destination together as a team. Harbhajan humorously pointed out the only real change in the new policy seemed to be a more generous luggage allowance—something he didn’t see as a significant shift. However, Harbhajan did express his support for banning personal entourages, such as personal chefs, from traveling with the team. Instead, he suggested that the BCCI could employ a couple of professional chefs to cater to the dietary needs of the players, much like how top football teams manage their nutrition during major tournaments like the World Cup.

Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world News on Zee News.