Rajeev Shukla, BCCI vice-president, has confirmed that the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams will stay at the designated accommodation arranged by the Organising Committee at the upcoming Asian Games 2026, which will be hosted in Aichi–Nagoya, Japan, from September 19.
Rajeev Shukla stated that the designated accommodations are not the five-star hotels they usually get on foreign tours. He added that the lack of high-end hotels in Nagoya was the reason behind the problem with hotel accommodations for cricket players.
However, he stated that the BCCI and the players are happy with the arrangement and that accommodations for the cricket players were not a major problem.
"Whatever they (organisers) are providing, we are staying there, and we are keeping a watch on what kind of accommodation is being given so that our players are comfortable. Definitely those are not five-star but good accommodation," Shukla said at the send-off ceremony of the Indian contingent.
"Whatever has been offered to our cricketers – that accommodation we have got the photographs all the way and the videos also of that, so I think it's comfortable. They (cricketers) will be going and staying there because otherwise the options were to make them stay in Osaka or Tokyo, which is far away,” he added.
PT Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), added that although the issue has been resolved, there is still some ambiguity regarding who reserved the rooms for the cricket players.
"No problem, I think. We have already booked (the hotels). For every player, we cannot book hotel rooms because the accommodation is (not) like the Athletes' Village. The organisers are providing a ship and small villas also.
We also booked the hotel rooms for the players (other athletes). And the cricketers, BCCI, also have booked the hotel for them. Whatever the best hotel is there in Nagoya or Japan, whatever it is, the best one, the cricketers will get it, just like others (other athletes) get,” Usha told PTI.
According to Shukla, the cricket players will stay in separate rooms rather than the twin-sharing ones. On September 20, the team will depart for Tokyo, where they will play a historic Twenty20 match against Japan on September 22. On September 28, India will begin their Asian Games campaign.
“The problem was that Nagoya hasn't got many hotels. Tokyo is one and a half hours by bullet train, and so is Osaka. But in the Asian Games, all the participants are like families; it doesn't look nice that some teams stay in Tokyo and some in Osaka, so it has been decided that our players will live at hotel accommodation there (in Nagoya),” Shukla said.
He sought to downplay the accommodation issue, saying the main issue was the condition of the ground, wickets and dressing rooms.
"The big issue was the ground, wickets and dressing rooms. They (organisers) have addressed those things. The Asian Cricket Council's team had gone there, and now they (the ACC team) are satisfied with the ground, the wickets and the dressing rooms; everything is fine.
That's being organised by the Indian Olympic Association, the Asian Games Organising Committee and the Japan Cricket Association. At the ACC meeting in Bangkok, which I also participated in, 52 representatives from various countries were there. We had a full presentation by a Japanese representative, and he has assured us that all the arrangements will be made keeping in mind the comfort of the players. They have provided the hotels. If there are gaps or loopholes, we will address them," Shukla said.
He, however, refused to comment on the details of the hotels the players will stay in.
"I haven't got hotel details, so I cannot comment on that, but definitely comfortable accommodation will be provided,” Shukla said.
At the most recent Asian Games in China, India emerged victorious in both the men's and women's divisions.
"India will definitely do well there. We also have a match on September 22 (India vs Japan for the Suzuki Cup). It will be the first match in Japan. It's being organised very well as far as the Asian Games are concerned. We are sending our B team complete with the rumour. Our full contingent is going with the most talented players, and I hope that we'll definitely win,” Shukla concluded.
(PTI inputs)
