Virat Kohli’s display of affection for his movie star girlfriend Anushka Sharma, became a common sight during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014-15. Virat Kohli, who was appointed as India’s new Test captain in the fourth and last Test of the series, blew many kisses to Anushka Sharma, who seen cheering Kohli from the stands, throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014-15.
But, in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Virat Kohli will not be able to look at the stands and a blow a kiss to his girlfriend, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to make a formal announcement soon, banning wives and girlfriends (WAGS) from cricket’s biggest event which starts in Australia and New Zealand on Valentine’s Day.
The BCCI took a lenient approach in the recently concluded Test series against Australia. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni were allowed to host their spouses through Christmas and New Year’s.
“This rule of not allowing wives and girlfriends was always there in the past. In a big tournament like the World Cup, the cricketers should stay away from distractions,” a top BCCI official was quoted by the Times of India.
While the BCCI have completely shut the window for girlfriends, some reports also indicated that there will be a small window where only wives (not girlfriends) will be allowed to visit players.
Another BCCI official said: “You can’t stop them from visiting Australia if they want to be a part of the euphoria, can you. The board won’t have any problem as long as the players are kept away from family matters during the tournament.”
This move will lead to lots of debates in the newsrooms and media houses. It will be interesting to see how the Indian players, especially Virat Kohli, react to this move by the BCCI.
***
By The Cricket Lounge
