IMAGINE being in a different city just a day before your child’s birth, meeting them for a day or two before leaving for work to another place. This is what Indian cricketer Sarfaraz Khan had to do during the Test series between India and New Zealand.
One probable reason for this is that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not have a paternity leave policy for its players. Surprisingly, it also lacks a maternity leave policy. However, on occasion, cricketers have been granted parental leave due to childbirth, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma being the notable examples. This situation arises more from the stature of these players in the team rather than from a formal policy.
The absence of such a policy creates an environment where only established players can consider applying for parental leave. A player without a guaranteed place in the team must think twice before requesting such leave.
For a player as prominent as Virat Kohli, there is the assurance that he can rejoin the team as soon as he becomes available after the leave, with the replacement player having to step aside.
In contrast, a player struggling to secure a place cannot afford to step away, regardless of the circumstances, for fear of losing their position. Newcomers often struggle with the persistent worry: “What if the player who fills in for my place puts up a convincing performance?”
Sarfaraz Khan’s story emphasises this issue. He climbed the ranks after years of hard work in the domestic circuit. He got his chance in the eleven only because Shubhman Gill had to sit out due to a stiff neck.
Seizing the opportunity, he scored a brilliant 150 runs in the Bangalore Test, proving his mettle at the international level. This performance placed him above K.L. Rahul, a senior, in the pecking order for the subsequent Pune and Mumbai Tests.
For a player like Sarfaraz, requesting parental leave is not a viable choice. With so much at stake, he cannot afford to risk his hard-earned spot without certainty about his prospects upon returning. Without a comprehensive parental leave policy, such a request could be denied or, worse, cost him his place in the squad.
The absence of a parental leave policy introduces arbitrary decision-making and disadvantages players trying to establish their place in the team. For example, if a player has not played the required number of matches to qualify for a central contract with the BCCI, he or she is not entitled to an annual salary or any form of paid leave, even if parental leave were to be granted.
Thus, newcomers risk losing both financial support from the board and their place in the team if they request such leave.
This issue is even more pronounced in women’s cricket. For instance, this year's women's T20 World Cup squad had no mothers, while the men's squad consisted of six fathers.
For many women, motherhood often signifies the end of their professional cricket careers or requires them to navigate a challenging path to regain fitness while juggling the demands of motherhood.
The lack of support from the cricket board further compounds these hardships. The absence of financial security, contract extensions for the duration of leave, childcare support while training and a recovery roadmap penalises women for starting families.
No woman cricketer in India has been able to make an international comeback after giving birth, which underscores the severity of the issue. Women cricketers are often compelled to put their personal lives on hold to prolong their professional careers.
Due to the lack of a policy addressing the impact on central contracts when players decide to have a child, women athletes face a unique and unresolved dilemma regarding their options.
This stands in contrast to other national cricket boards. For instance, Cricket Australia (CA), New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) all have parental leave policies for their players.
These policies include twelve months of paid maternity leave and contract extensions for female athletes. Additionally, CA and PCB provide male cricketers with three weeks and thirty days of paid leave, respectively.
Bismah Maroof, former captain of the Pakistan women’s team, is one of the few players who have successfully returned to international cricket after pregnancy. She credits PCB’s parental leave policy, stating that if not for the policy, she might have had to retire.
She received financial support according to her central contract, which was extended further. Additionally, she was allowed to have a support person care for her child during the 2022 T20 World Cup.
This support enabled her to focus on her career, train adequately, and return to the side as their captain. Amy Satterthwaite from New Zealand and Meghan Schutt from Australia are other prominent players who have greatly benefitted from similar policies.
A cricket board must prioritise creating a policy that protects the professional interests of its players during parental leaves, offering both empowerment and security.
Such a policy should address a range of concerns, including financial security, contract extensions during leave, a recovery roadmap allowing for a timely return to match fitness, and childcare support while on training and tours, enabling the players to focus on their game. Importantly, no player should risk losing their place in the squad simply because they took parental leave.
As the wealthiest cricket governing body in a nation where cricket is more than just a sport, the BCCI has a broader responsibility to its players. The board can no longer ignore the fact that cricketers are not just professionals but also individuals with families.
A comprehensive parental leave policy is essential to foster balanced lives for the sportspersons. It would eliminate arbitrary decisions and ensure that all players are treated equally, irrespective of their stature.
This could lay the groundwork for a cricketing structure that is more inclusive, compassionate and respectful of the varied needs of athletes. Moreover, by implementing such a policy, the BCCI could encourage other sports regulatory bodies in India to draft similar policies on parental leave.
