The Indian men’s cricket team, led by Shreyas Iyer, is yet to leave India for the upcoming Asian Games, but the contingent has received a fresh setback ahead of their arrival in Japan. The Indian camp is set to leave for Aichi-Nagoya in the early hours of Sunday, but some members are still waiting for the correctly sized kits following a series of exchanges between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and JSW Inspire, the kit supplier associated with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
According to a PTI report, most sizing problems have been resolved, although a few players are still awaiting their replacement kits. The sources within the IOA defended the setback, saying it can happen because two different jerseys are involved.
“There was a sizing issue in kits of cricketers; the majority of them have been rectified. There are a few left, and they will be delivered to the team shortly. With players needing two different jerseys there (one for bilateral and another for Asian Games), this can happen,” an IOA source told PTI.
It is worth noting that India will need two different jerseys during the trip to Japan. India are scheduled to play a one-off T20I against Japan on September 22, for which they will use their regular cricket kit. The contingent will then switch to the official Asian Games playing jersey when the tournament begins on September 28.
Own hotel arrangements
The same PTI report stated that the BCCI has also decided to arrange a separate hotel for the men’s team rather than use the accommodation allocated through the IOA. The decision comes after reports of delays and logistical difficulties faced by athletes from the Indian contingent.
The report stated that the accommodation initially assigned to the men’s cricket team was considered unsuitable, particularly because of the limited space for storing players’ kit bags.
“The women’s team accommodation was never an issue. The rooms provided by the organisers for the men’s team did not even have space to keep the kit bags. There are not many big hotels there, but the BCCI has managed to make its own arrangement shortly before their departure to Japan,” the source said as per PTI.
It is worth noting that the women’s cricket team is staying in the accommodation arranged through the IOA. There have also been questions surrounding the cricket facilities in Nagoya, including the playing surface, adding another logistical element for the Indian men’s team to deal with before the competition gets underway.
