No five-star hotels for India's Asian Games cricketers: BCCI explains Nagoya accommodation hurdle

BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla confirmed on Tuesday that the players will stay at the designated accommodation arranged by the Organising Committee.

Indian cricketers are usually put up in five-star hotels on foreign tours, but that is unlikely to be the case when the men's and women's teams travel to Nagoya, Japan, for the upcoming Asian Games. BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla confirmed on Tuesday that the players will stay at the designated accommodation arranged by the Organising Committee.

India will begin their Asian Games men's cricket campaign on September 24 (AFP)

Shukla admitted that the issue surrounding the accommodation had arisen amid scarcity of top-rated hotels in Nagoya, but assured that it was never an issue for the cricketers and that the two teams are satisfied with the arrangement.

"Whatever they (organisers) are providing, we are staying there and we are keeping a watch what kind of accommodation is being given so that our players are comfortable. Definitely those are not of five-star but a good accommodation," Shukla said at the send-off ceremony of the Indian contingent .

"Whatever has been offered to our cricketers that accommodation we have got the photographs all the way and the videos also of that, so I think it's comfortable. They (cricketers) will be going and staying there because otherwise the options were to make them stay in Osaka or Tokyo that's far away."

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha also said the accommodation issue had been sorted out, with both the IOA and BCCI having booked hotels for their respective athletes and cricketers.

"No problem, I think. We have already booked (the hotels). For every player, we cannot book hotel rooms because the accommodation is (not) like (Athletes') Village. They (organisers) are providing a ship and small villas also," Usha told PTI.

"We also booked the hotel rooms for the players (other athletes). And the cricketers, BCCI, also have booked the hotel for them. Whatever the best hotel is there in Nagoya or Japan, whatever it is, the best one, the cricketers will get it, just like others (other athletes) get."

Shukla also confirmed that the cricketers will not stay in twin-sharing rooms, but in separate ones.

"The problem was that Nagoya hasn't got many hotels. Tokyo is one and a half hour by bullet train, so is Osaka. But in the Asian Games, all the participants are like families, it doesn't look nice that some teams stay in Tokyo and some in Osaka so it has been decided that our players will live at hotel accommodation there (at Nagoya)."

The Indian men's team will leave for Tokyo on September 20, play a historic one-off T20I against Japan two days later and then will play their Asian Games opener on September 28.

He sought to downplay the accommodation issue, saying the the main issue was the condition of the ground, wickets and dressing rooms.

"The big issue big issue was the ground, wicket and dressing rooms. They (organisers) have addressed those things. Asian Cricket Council's team had gone there and now they (ACC team) are satisfied with the ground, the wickets and dressing rooms, everything is fine."

Asked who has arranged the accommodation of the cricketers, Shukla said, "That's being organized by Indian Olympic Association, Asian Games Organising Committee and Japan Cricket Association.

"At the ACC meeting in Bangkok, which I had also participated, 52 representatives from various countries were there. We had a full presentation by Japanese representative and he has assured us that all the arrangements will be made keeping in mind the comfort of the players. They have provided the hotels. If there are gaps or loopholes we will address it."