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As India’s campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 gets underway, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced some new guidelines, which came after India’s disappointing performance during their Australian tour and include a 10-point code of conduct aimed at bringing more structure and discipline to the team. One of the key rules prohibits players from bringing personal staff, such as chefs, security personnel, and assistants, unless given specific approval by the BCCI.
However, after a grueling three-hour training session at the ICC Academy in Dubai, Virat Kohli was overheard speaking with the team’s local manager just before the team bus arrived. Shortly after, the manager returned with a paper bag containing food from one of Dubai’s popular restaurants. Kohli was later seen eating the meal, even saving some for later. The incident caught attention because it seemed to go against the BCCI’s “no personal chef” rule, which was put in place to simplify the team’s logistics and limit external influences during tours.
Did Virat break the rule?
The situation could easily be misunderstood, but it seems Kohli didn’t break the new policy in the usual way. Instead of having his personal chef travel with him like many other players who want to maintain their public image, Kohli chose to eat a meal from a street vendor. This meal was likely arranged by the team management to ensure he gets the right nutrition. Since Kohli is known for being very focused on his fitness and health, it’s clear that his diet is important to him, and the team probably takes that into account while following the rules.
The BCCI’s diktat, which also prohibits players from having personal chefs, came into effect after the team’s disappointing performance during the 2024-25 Australia tour. The directive was part of overall attempts at imposing discipline and uniformity in the operations of the team as well as curbing any possible outside interference. Considering the tightly organized nature of international cricket tours, where squads tend to rely on local bases for nutrition, accommodations, and logistics, the guidelines are geared towards ensuring efficiency and cohesion among the squad.
India Gears Up for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
In the nets, Kohli, along with captain Rohit Sharma, was among the first to go through his paces after the team had a training session. Kohli worked on his technique, facing pace bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami, who challenged him with a plethora of deliveries directed at his stumps. The former India skipper’s strategy was cautious and accurate, playing the on-drives and the flick shots with ease. His show in the nets reflected his seriousness of being at his best for the coming tournament.
In the meantime, younger players such as Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer demonstrated their aggressive style, bullying the bowlers with strong shots. The ferocity of the session, especially from Hardik and Shreyas, left the support staff worried, with one of them even yelling a warning call to security officials and media near the boundary ropes: “Watch the ball, watch it!”
India’s campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 gets underway against Bangladesh on Thursday at the Dubai International Stadium, followed by a highly anticipated game against arch-rivals Pakistan. In the absence of injured star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian team is still among the favorites, with a combination of veteran campaigners and up-and-coming talent. Kohli, Rohit, and the rest of the team will be looking to come back from their recent failures, and the Champions Trophy offers the ideal platform for redemption.
