India may send second-string squad for Asian Games over Japan facilities

India could send a second-string side to the Asian Games cricket tournament in Japan after the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) and Asian Cricket Council raised concerns over the arrangements and facilities available for players, according to a BCCI source.

The Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19, with the men’s cricket tournament scheduled from September 24 to October 3. The women’s competition will take place from September 17 to 22.

A BCCI source told ANI that the board was unhappy with the current arrangements and would send an observer to Japan to assess the facilities. The observer’s report could play a key role in deciding whether India fields its strongest team or sends a second-string squad.

“BCCI and ACC are not happy with the facilities and arrangements in Japan, and the board will send an observer there. The observer will submit its report to us, and if arrangements are not up to the mark, we could consider sending a B team there,” the source said.

The source said concerns had already been raised with officials from the Japan Olympic Committee. These included temporary dressing rooms set up in tents, with washrooms located around 500 metres away.

The size of the hotel rooms was another concern, with the source saying they were “really small” for players.

India won the men’s cricket gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou after the final against Afghanistan was washed out. India were declared winners based on their higher seeding.

The country had initially named a strong squad for the upcoming tournament, led by Shreyas Iyer. The line-up also included Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.

However, the final composition of India’s squad could now depend on the BCCI’s assessment of the facilities in Japan. A decision is expected after the board receives the observer’s report.