India’s Mohammed Siraj, captain Rohit Sharma and teammates during Day 2 of the second Test match, at Adelaide Oval, in Adelaide on December 7, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering a slew of disciplinary measures in the aftermath of India’s disastrous tour of Australia, including limiting the presence of spouses on tours and barring managerial staff of coaches and players from the team bus.

The steps which could be taken moving forward will limit the presence of wives and other family members on assignments to a maximum of two weeks if the tour is 45 days or more. If the duration is less than that, the presence of wives could be limited to a week.

In addition, all players might have to use the team bus and not any other vehicle when on assignments. Majority of the players follow this norm but at times, some of them and the support staff use other modes of transportation as well.

All these measures were discussed during the review meeting of the tour Down Under but none of them are to be immediately enforced.

The issue of managers of players and coaches was highlighted when the personal manager of a senior coaching staff member was allowed on the team bus on the recent tour that ended with India losing 1-3.

“Personal managers travelling on the team bus also raises a red flag with the anti-corruption unit. It should be avoided going forward. As far as the presence of wives on tours is concerned, it is being discussed in the board and a call would be taken on it soon,” a Board official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

“Also players and coaches should only travel by team bus. It was always supposed to be the case but of late, players use other modes of transportation. That should be avoided,” he added.

Former India Opener Aakash Chopra was intrigued by the BCCI’s new diktat on the team bus.

“All Players Will Have to Travel On The Team Bus’ Finding this one most amusing. Wasn’t that always the norm??? If it isn’t the case anymore…it’s worth finding out who changed that?? And why??” wrote Chopra on X.

The disciplinary diktat comes after it came to light that the spouse of a travelling reserve in Australia made content for her own youtube channel and that included behind the scenes footage of the couple’s and the team travels.

Another rule that could come into effect covers the luggage of the players on tours.

If the players luggage is more than 150kg, the BCCI will not pay extra luggage charges. Players will have to pay that, added the source.

The team management, including skipper Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, were a part of the review meeting of the tour Down Under.

India lost the series 1-3, their first loss to Australia in 10 years. The debacle also meant that the Indians failed to make the cut for the World Test Championship final to be held in London in June.

India’s next Test assignment away from home is a five-match tour of England starting in June.

Indias captain Jasprit Bumrah stretches before the start of day three of the fifth cricket test match between Australia and India at The SCG in Sydney on January 5, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Battling a back spasm, India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was not fit enough to bowl on day three after the visitors set Australia a 162-run target.

India were bowled out for 157 in 39.5 overs, adding only 16 runs to their overnight total with the loss of four wickets.

Bumrah, who had suffered the injury on day two, is set to end as the leading wicket taker in the series with 32 scalps.

He was away from the field for three hours and 20 minutes on Saturday.

With he not there to open the bowling on Sunday, Indian pace duo of Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna was all over the place leaking 35 runs in the first three overs.

Krishna had revealed Bumrah’s back issue after stumps on day two.

Bumrah had suffered a lower back injury that kept him out of cricket for nearly one year between 2022 and 2023. He had undergone a back surgery in March 2023.

India’s Jasprit Bumrah reacts as he is out bowled during play on the third day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

India were all out for 157 in the second innings, leaving Australia a victory target of 162 in the fifth and final Test here on Sunday.

Resuming day three at 141 for six, India lost their remaining four wickets for 16 runs.

Pat Cummins and Scott Boland shared the wickets in the session. Boland took six for 45 for the home side to claim a 10-wicket match haul, while Rishabh Pant’s 61 was the high score for India.

Brief Score:

India 1st innings: 185

Australia 1st innings: 181

India 2nd innings: 157 allout in 39.5 overs (Rishabh Pant 61, Scott Boland 6/45).

India’s Rishabh Pant bats during play on the second day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, January 4, 2025
| Photo Credit: AP

Scott Boland took Nitish Reddy when he tried to hit the ball through mid-off. The effort went in vain when Nitish chipped the ball straight into Pat Cummins hands.

Rishabh Pant reached half-century in style, waging an aggressive attack against Australian bowlers, before he departs edging Cummins’ ball on Day 2 of the 5th India vs Australia Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday (January 4, 2025)

Debutant Webster got his first wicket as Alex Carey pouched the ball when Shubman Gill stepped out on a futile effort to heave it over the mid-wicket.

Also read: I have not retired, I just stood down from this Test because I am not in form, says Rohit Sharma

As a massive wicket, Scott Boland took Virat Kohli as his third, as the latter edged and left the crease. This could perhaps be Kohli’s last Test innings in Australia. The scoreboard read 59 for three after the dismissal.

After a quick start, India lost both of their openers K.L. Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, out to Boland, in the second innings, ending a promising partnership that was in the making.

Australia all out, as Mohammed Siraj castled Boland. Australia’s scoreboard read 181 for ten, trailing by a mere 4 runs.

Prasidh Krishna marked his third wicket of the match, by scalping Beau Webster, taking the ninth wicket of Australia.

Nitish Reddy got his second wicket, as he nailed Mitchell Starc. Pat Cummins was his first in this innings.

Virat Kohli took over the baton from skipper Jasprit Bumrah, as he marched back to the dressing room, perhaps due to an injury.

Despite the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, other Indian bowlers rose to the occasion as Nitish Kumar Reddy removed both Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc and Australia are at 164 for 8 still trailing by 21 runs.

As the match continued after the lunch, Prasidh Krishna castled Alex Carey, after a failed effort. When the game broke for lunch, Australia’s scoreboard read 101 for five wickets, trailing by 84 runs.

Prasidh dismissed an ominous Steve Smith, and the latter departed, leaving Australia with 95 runs for five wickets.

Travis Head walked back to the dressing room as Mohammed Siraj struck again to take a very crucial wicket of Australia. Sam Konstas edged Mohammed Siraj to loose a wicket for Australia in the game, to leave the team with 35 runs for three.

The star bowler of the series, Indian skipper Jasprit Bumrah did that again. He took the early wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, making things tight for Australia.

Day 1 report

Friday (January 3, 2025) dawned to the wet streaks of rain, just about enough to accentuate the green on leaves. When the dampness paused, it was time for cricket’s annual pilgrimage to the Sydney Cricket Ground.

India turned up with Jasprit Bumrah at the helm while Rohit Sharma, according to the former, opted to rest. A change in leadership, however, did not usher in a difference in the manner the visitors batted on a pitch that seemed more Perth and less Sydney.

There was movement and some bounce, and as the fifth Test’s opening day stretched, the template of wilting Indian batters against resurgent Australian pacers, was on view. At close, Australia scored nine for one in reply to India’s first innings score of 185. A fired up Bumrah, after a chat with Sam Konstas, dismissed Usman Khawaja.

India’s coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma. File photo
| Photo Credit: AFP

Never has an Indian captain’s stint in the nets and his body-language been analysed so threadbare. But it all happened at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and Rohit Sharma was in the centre of it all, on the eve of the fifth and final Test against Australia.

It started when Gautam Gambhir addressed the pre-match press-conference at the SCG here on Thursday (January 2, 2024) afternoon. Just as the interaction warmed up, the Indian coach was asked about Rohit not being present to talk to the correspondents. “Everything is fine with Rohit and I don’t think it is anything traditional. The head-coach is here, I think that should be fine, that should be good enough and tomorrow we will have a look at the wicket and probably announce our playing eleven,” replied Gambhir.

To be fair to the former India opener, there have been instances in the past when the skipper did not turn up and another player faced the media. There has been no tradition set in stone about the Indian captain talking to the press, a day ahead of a contest. So that was one googly, adeptly dealt with.

Rohit’s poor form raises debate

But the drama was just building up as the backdrop had the stink of a palace intrigue. Rohit’s poor form in this series (31 runs from six innings), reports hinting at the coach’s strong words with the team after the defeat in the fourth Test at Melbourne, and speculation about a senior player harbouring captaincy ambitions, were all part of the mix.

A direct question on whether Rohit will be part of the playing eleven was raised. “The answer remains the same,” the coach said. Inside the hall, correspondents wrestled with multiple queries in their minds. Is the captain being benched? But wouldn’t that be too extreme? Or was it just a casual line?

Soon, attention shifted to India’s training stint at the main ground. Rohit participated in the warm-up game of footvolley, but skipped the slip-catching drill. When the players moved to the nets outside the main venue, the captain was missing. K.L. Rahul, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel, all had long batting stints.

Rohit finally turned up. He had a chat with Jasprit Bumrah and Jaiswal. There was conversation and some laughter. After a while he returned to the dressing room, padded up and got back to the nets. Countering only throwdowns, Rohit focussed on the task at hand.

Later along with Bumrah and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, he returned to the pavilion. A captain being dropped would be too radical. However, officially, the last word would be known at the toss on Friday (January 3, 2025).