No five-star accommodation for Indian cricketers at Asian Games, BCCI confirms

Indian cricketers will not have the usual five-star accommodation when they travel to Japan for the upcoming Asian Games, but the BCCI has insisted that the arrangements for the team in Nagoya are comfortable and satisfactory.

Speaking to PTI on Tuesday, BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla said the lack of top-rated hotels in Nagoya has led to questions about the accommodation available for the Indian cricket teams during the games.

However, Shukla said the matter was not a major issue for either the BCCI or the players. The team will stay in accommodation arranged in Nagoya, not in Tokyo or Osaka, both of which are located outside of the competition venue.

“Whatever they provide, we stay there and keep an eye on what kind of accommodation they give to make our players comfortable. Definitely not five star but good accommodation,” Shukla said.

The BCCI vice-president added that the board had reviewed photos and videos of the accommodation and was satisfied that the facility would meet the requirements of the players.

NAGOYA STAY ENDED

According to Shukla, the possibility of placing the Indian cricketers in Tokyo or Osaka was considered, but the distance from Nagoya made this arrangement impossible.

“Whatever our cricketers have been offered, the accommodation, we have all the photos and also the videos of it, so I think it is convenient. They will go there and stay there because otherwise the options were to leave them in Osaka or Tokyo, which is far away,” he said.

Shukla noted that Nagoya does not have a large number of top-rated hotels, while Tokyo and Osaka are about an hour and a half away by train.

“The problem was that Nagoya doesn’t have many hotels. Tokyo is an hour and a half by train, as is Osaka. But at the Asian Games, all the participants are like families, it doesn’t look good that some teams stay in Tokyo and some stay in Osaka,” he said.

Cricketers will also have separate rooms and will not have to share accommodation.

Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha also said the issue has been resolved, though there was some uncertainty about which body made the last accommodation bookings.

Usha said hotels have been arranged for the athletes, while the organizers have also provided various accommodation options, including a boat and small villas.

DEVICE FOCUS SHIFT

Shukla tried to downplay the hotel issue, saying the BCCI’s bigger problem was the state of cricket facilities in Nagoya.

“The big problem was the ground, the wicket and the dressing rooms. They have addressed these things. The Asian Cricket Council team has been there and now they are happy with the ground, the wickets and the dressing rooms, everything is fine,” he said.

He added that the accommodation is being coordinated by the IOA, the Asian Games Organizing Committee and the Japan Cricket Association.

The Indian cricket contingent will leave for Tokyo on September 20 and play a historic T20 match against Japan on September 22 before starting their Asian Games campaign on September 28.

Shukla also dismissed reports suggesting this India would send a weakened or second string to the games.

“The mission of our B team is a complete rumor. Our entire contingent is going with the most talented players and I hope we will win for sure,” he said.

India head into the Asian Games as defending champions in both the men’s and women’s cricket competitions after winning gold in Hangzhou 2023.

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Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

08 Sep 2026 23:36 IST