The Asian Games 2026 India Cricket Team has become a major talking point even before the players leave for Japan.
The BCCI and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) have reportedly raised concerns over some of the facilities and arrangements being made for the players during the tournament.
India have already announced a strong men’s squad, with Shreyas Iyer named captain. Players such as Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are part of the squad.
However, the accommodation and other facilities in Japan have now come under scrutiny.
BCCI Unhappy With Asian Games 2026 Facilities in Japan
According to reports, the BCCI and ACC have raised concerns over some of the arrangements being made for the players during the Asian Games.
A BCCI source told ANI that dressing rooms have been set up in tents, while washrooms are around 500 metres away. The size of the hotel rooms has also emerged as a concern.
The BCCI has reportedly communicated these concerns to officials in Japan.
One possible alternative could be to accommodate the players in city hotels. However, that could increase travel time and create additional logistical and security challenges for the Indian contingent.
The board is now expected to send an observer to Japan to assess the arrangements. A report will then be submitted to the BCCI.
Will India Send a B Team to Asian Games 2026?
This has become one of the biggest questions surrounding India’s participation.
There were reports suggesting that India could consider sending a B team if the BCCI was not satisfied with the facilities available in Japan.
However, a later report quoted a BCCI source saying that while concerns over the arrangements were genuine, India would not send a B team.
Therefore, at this stage, there is no confirmation that the originally selected Indian squad will be replaced.
The final assessment of the facilities will still be important, but Shreyas Iyer and the other selected players remain part of India’s Asian Games plans.
When Will Cricket Start at Asian Games 2026?
The women’s cricket competition at the Asian Games 2026 will begin on September 17while the men’s tournament starts on September 24.
However, India will not begin their campaigns on those opening dates.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women’s team will play its first match against hosts Japan in the quarter-final on September 18.
India’s men’s team, led by Shreyas Iyer, has received direct entry into the quarter-finals. They will begin their campaign on September 28 against the runner-up from Group A.
The women’s cricket final is scheduled for September 22, while the men’s gold-medal match will be played on October 3.
All cricket matches are scheduled to be played at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture.
India Men’s Squad for Asian Games 2026
The BCCI has named a strong 15-member squad for the Asian Games, with Shreyas Iyer leading the side and Tilak Varma named vice-captain.
Indian Men: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The presence of Bumrah, Shreyas, Sanju, Abhishek and several other regular international players shows that India initially planned to send a very strong team to defend their Asian Games gold medal.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is another player who will attract plenty of attention if he gets an opportunity in Japan.
The youngster has already become one of the most talked-about names in Indian cricket, and the Asian Games could give him another opportunity on a big stage.
India Women’s Squad for Asian Games 2026
India have also named a strong women’s squad, with Harmanpreet Kaur as captain and Smriti Mandhana as her deputy.
India Women: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (Vice-Captain), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), G. Kamalini (WK), Bharti Fulmali, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil*, Radha Yadav and Nandni Sharma.
Jemimah Rodrigues was originally selected in the 15-member Asian Games squad but has since been ruled out due to a high-grade right hamstring tear.
At the time of writing, the BCCI had not announced her replacement for the Asian Games.
Shreyanka Patil’s original selection was also subject to fitness clearance.
India Looking to Defend Both Asian Games Gold Medals
India will travel to Japan as the defending champions in both men’s and women’s cricket.
At the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, the Indian women’s team defeated Sri Lanka in the final to win the gold medal.
The men’s final against Afghanistan was washed out. India were awarded the gold medal because of their higher seeding.
This time, India have once again selected strong squads and will be among the leading contenders for gold in both competitions.
The men’s squad, in particular, contains several players with considerable international and IPL experience.