The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has indicated that the Indian cricketers competing at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan next month will stay at the accommodation arranged by the Organising Committee after controversy over their quality.
Concerns were raised over the size of the rooms — some photos went viral on social media showing the rooms to be twin-sharing ones with two single beds — particularly whether they would be adequate for athletes travelling with cricket equipment and luggage.
Shukla said that the cricketers will not be staying at the twin-sharing rooms but in separate ones, arranged by Indian Olympic Association, Asian Games Organising Committee and Japan Cricket Association.
“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, as quoted by PTI.
Japan Cricket Association CEO Naoki Alex Miyaji had earlier defended the arrangements, pointing out that athletes from several other sports would be staying in more basic facilities, including a cruise ship and container hotels. Miyaji also said cricket teams would have the option of arranging their own accommodation if they were not satisfied with the facilities provided by the organisers.
That seems to have been arranged for the cricketers.
“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 that’s far away,” Shukla added.
“The problem was that Nagoya hasn’t got many hotels. Tokyo is an hour and a half by bullet train, 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 (at Nagoya),” he said.
The accommodation issue gained prominence after India and Pakistan administrators reportedly raised concerns about the overall facilities, including the field of play, being provided for cricket at the Games. Shukla said that was always the bigger issue.
“The big issue was the ground, wicket and dressing rooms. They (organisers) have addressed those things. Asian Cricket Council’s team had gone there and now they (ACC team) are satisfied with the ground, the wickets and dressing rooms, everything is fine.”
The men’s team will leave for Tokyo on September 20 and play a historic T20 against Japan on September 22.
