India’s men’s cricket team is set to leave New Delhi for Japan in the early hours of Sunday, but the squad’s preparations for the Asian Games have encountered a few logistical hurdles before departure.
The team is still waiting for some correctly sized kits, while the BCCI has also opted to arrange separate accommodation for the players in Nagoya.
According to PTI, there has been considerable communication between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and JSW Inspire, the kit supplier appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), over the sizing of the players’ Asian Games jerseys.
Most of the sizing-related problems have reportedly been resolved, although a few players are still waiting for their corrected kits. An IOA source said the remaining items are expected to reach the team shortly.
The logistical complication has partly arisen because the players require two different sets of jerseys during their Japan campaign. India will first wear their regular cricket kit for the one-off T20I against Japan on September 22 before switching to the official Asian Games attire for the tournament, which begins on September 28.
The BCCI has also taken matters into its own hands regarding accommodation. Following reports of delays and difficulties faced by several Indian athletes in Nagoya, the board has made separate hotel arrangements for the men’s cricket team.
The report indicated that the accommodation initially allocated to the men’s team by the organisers was not considered suitable, with limited room even for storing players’ kit bags. Nagoya also has a relatively limited supply of large hotels, making accommodation arrangements more challenging.
The Indian women’s cricket team, meanwhile, has been staying at the accommodation arranged through the IOA without similar concerns.
Questions have also emerged over the cricketing facilities available in Japan, including the playing surface. The Asian Games organisers have adopted an unusual accommodation model this year, with athletes being housed across cruise ships, container-based facilities and hotels instead of a conventional Games Village.