look news india
With the formal beginning of the 20th Asian Games 2026 held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, major challenges have emerged at the international level regarding the accommodation of players. Unlike the traditional Asian Games or Olympics, this time the organizers have not created any centralized ‘Athletes’ Village’. Instead about 4,000 to 5,000 athletes and officials are being housed on a giant cruise ship (Costa Serena) docked in Nagoya port, in temporary container-style rooms and small hotels scattered across the city.
Initially, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had objected to the extremely small size of the hotel rooms fixed by the organizers and the lack of space even to keep kitbags. Now, as the Indian men’s team, captained by Shreyas Iyer, gets ready for the Japan tour, the BCCI itself has taken a big strategic step by coming forward for the players’ convenience, recovery and to keep the large contingent united.
According to BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, the Indian cricket board has decided to book its own separate hotel for the men’s cricket contingent, contrary to the organisers’ standard arrangement.
There were 3 main reasons behind this decision of the board:
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Support staff and team size: A strict limit on the number of rooms and officials per sports team was set by the Asian Games organisers. A large support staff including the head coach, bowling-fielding coach, strength and conditioning trainers, physio and video analyst is accompanying the Indian men’s team.
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To avoid breaking into pieces: Under organizers’ rules, some support staff would have had to stay in another hotel or cruise ship, miles away from the players. BCCI did not want to segregate the players and support staff under any circumstances.
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Room space and privacy: Adequate space to accommodate the cricketers’ bulky kitbags, medical and rehab equipment and the privacy and safety of the players during the tournament were given priority.
BCCI has also clarified that this special arrangement has been made only for the men’s cricket team. The Indian women’s cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, is staying at the official sports facilities allotted by the organisers.
The total number of players and support staff in the women’s squad is only 20 members, which is well within the official quota and room allocation of the Asian Games organisers. The women’s team has made a great start to its campaign by registering a one-sided win by 8 wickets in its quarter-final match against Japan on 18 September.
Indian men’s team will leave India on September 20 and reach Japan on September 21:
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22 September (Special T20I match): Before the main matches of the Asian Games, a friendly T20 match will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
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28 September (quarterfinals): The Indian men’s team will begin its Asian Games campaign straight from the quarterfinal stage. This match will be played at Aichi Prefectural Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
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The Indian team will enter the field with the intention of defending its gold medal won in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
The world’s richest and most influential cricket board has once again proved that when it comes to players’ facilities and performance at the international level, budget is not a hindrance. While athletes from many other countries are struggling with travel and fatigue due to staying in remote bases and cruise ships, by keeping the Indian men’s cricket team under one roof close to the match venues, the BCCI has made concrete arrangements to keep the team’s morale and preparations at the top level.