Family time

Nothing wrong with allowing WAGs on tours

The Indian cricketers’ demand that their wives and girlfriends (WAGs) be allowed on overseas tours has presented the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) with a somewhat peculiar problem. The request is being led by captain Virat Kohli, with other senior players, such as Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane, reportedly backing the skipper. At present, the BCCI allows WAGs to accompany players for only 14 days and that too only after the first two weeks of a 45-day tour. An earlier rule permitted WAGs being around for one of three formats during a lengthy tour. According to a report in The Times of India, the BCCI has already given in to the players’ demand, paving way for the presence of WAGs on tour, but only after an initial period of 10 days. Subsequent reports, however, have claimed that the BCCI is yet to take a decision and has put the matter on hold.

The players’ demand is a reasonable one. International cricketers, after all, spend a considerable amount of time on the road. Earlier this year, the Indian team camped in Ireland and England for over two months. Starting the middle of November, the team will be touring around Australia for roughly the same period. By the look of it, there is a consensus among players that having their partners around will significantly contribute to their performance. Given that the Indian players are poor travellers, albeit trying hard to change that notion, family support might indeed make some difference. Moreover, even without the official nod, WAGs are routinely seen during India’s home matches.

Of course, other than the Board and the players, there’s also the view of the national team’s coach to consider. In most other sports, coaches have often taken extreme stands on the issue of WAGs. German football manager Joachim Löw, for instance, outlawed his players from having sex during the World Cup in Russia earlier this year. He, however, granted permission for a glass of beer or wine before bed. During the 2006 edition in Germany, when the term WAGs first made an entry into the sporting lexicon, England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson took a more lenient position, allowing the likes of Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Tweedy — partners of David Beckham and Ashley Cole, respectively, and both famous pop stars — to set up house not far from the team’s training base. England’s entourage that World Cup numbered 110. 

Unfortunately, the team crashed out in the quarter-finals and Britain’s notorious tabloid papers pinned the blame on the WAGs. Even though there is little to suggest that the glamorous spouses impacted the team’s performance, new boss Fabio Capello nonetheless binned Eriksson’s idea in South Africa four years later, laying emphasis on greater focus and privacy. The truth is England were shambolic in their penalty shoot-out defeat to Portugal in 2006, and it would be ridiculous to hold the WAGs responsible for their embarrassing exit. In the same vein, Indian fans should be wise enough to understand and conclude that they were unfair in blaming Anushka Sharma for Kohli’s disappointing performance in the 2015 World Cup semi-final. These are professional athletes who must not be shielded by unjust criticism of their partners.

In essence, what matters more is not the absence or presence of WAGs but a careful segregation of professional and personal activity while on tour. The only other caveat is that there should be no caste system of sorts in a bid to find a middle path. This was quite a shameful norm in the 1970s and ‘80s when a handful of senior Indian players were afforded this privilege. The decision makers must ensure that the rules allowing WAGs to travel, if and when allowed, must apply uniformly across the whole team.