Sports
oi-Swastika Sruti
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly contemplating dispatching a backup Indian squad to the 2026 Asian Games hosted by Japan, provided there are no issues relating to the accommodation of the players sorted out.
The BCCI plans to send an observer to inspect facilities for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, considering deploying a backup squad due to concerns over tent dressing rooms and distant washrooms, potentially altering the initially announced strong team.
The BCCI and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) have been reported to be unhappy with the facilities of the Aichi-Nagoya Games. The board will reportedly send an observer to Japan for checking the facilities before taking a decision.
BCCI To Assess Facilities In Japan
ANI, the news agency, reported that BCCI is planning to depute an observer to Japan to check the facilities available for the Indian cricket team.
Should the observer find that the facilities do not match up to the standards required, BCCI may opt for sending a second-string team rather than the chosen one because of their lack of satisfaction with the facilities available.
ANI quoted a source from BCCI that board and ACC are not satisfied with the facilities available.
Dressing Rooms In Tents, Washrooms 500 Metres Away
One of the major concerns reportedly involves the dressing-room facilities.
According to the BCCI source, dressing rooms have been arranged inside tents, while washrooms are located around 500 metres away.
The board has also raised concerns about the size of the hotel rooms where players are expected to stay.
The source said these arrangements could create an uncomfortable environment for the players during a major international sporting event.
India Had Named Full-Strength Squad
The BCCI had already announced a strong 15-member squad for the Asian Games, with Shreyas Iyer named captain and Tilak Varma appointed vice-captain.
The squad includes several prominent India players, including Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Washington Sundar.
Youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has also been included in the squad.
The final decision on whether this team will travel to Japan could depend on the findings of the BCCI observer.
When Will Cricket Be Played At Asian Games 2026?
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are scheduled to begin on September 19.
The women’s T20 competition is scheduled to take place from September 17 to 22, while the men’s T20 tournament will begin on September 24. The men’s final is scheduled for October 3.
Cricket is once again part of the Asian Games programme, with teams competing in the T20 format.
India Enter As Defending Champions
India will enter the men’s cricket competition as the defending Asian Games champions.
The Indian men’s team won the gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. India were declared winners after the final against Afghanistan was washed out, with the gold medal awarded to India because of their superior seeding.
The BCCI will therefore be keen to maintain India’s strong record in the competition.
India’s Asian Games Squad
India’s announced men’s T20 squad features:
- Shreyas Iyer (Captain)
- Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain)
- Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper)
- Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Shivam Dube
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Harshit Rana
- Arshdeep Singh
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- Jasprit Bumrah
For now, the full-strength squad remains the announced team, but the BCCI’s inspection of the facilities in Japan could determine whether India’s biggest names eventually travel for the tournament.
