India’s men’s cricket team is set to leave for the Asian Games early on Sunday, but some members of the squad are still waiting for their correctly sized official kits. The issue has led to repeated communication between the BCCI and JSW Inspire, the Indian Olympic Association’s kit supplier.
According to PTI, most of the sizing problems have now been resolved, although a few players are still waiting for their kits. The Shreyas Iyer-led side is scheduled to leave New Delhi in the early hours of Sunday, with India preparing to begin its Asian Games campaign in Nagoya.
The players will use two different sets of jerseys during their stint in Japan. India will wear their regular team kit for the one-off T20I against Japan on September 22 before switching to the official Asian Games jersey for their campaign, which begins with the men’s quarter-finals on September 28.
The kit-related trouble has already affected another Indian athlete. Two-time Asian Games shot-put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor was replaced as one of India’s flag-bearers for the opening ceremony after he could not travel to Nagoya from the training base in Tsukuba because he had not received his official Games kit. Kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat was named his replacement alongside Manu Bhaker.
The development adds another layer to the kit concerns surrounding the Indian contingent, although the cricket team’s immediate issue is understood to be largely resolved.
BCCI SORTS OUT MEN’S STAY
The BCCI has also made separate accommodation arrangements for the men’s cricket team in Nagoya after concerns over the rooms allocated by the organisers. The accommodation provided for the players did not have enough space to keep their cricket kit bags, prompting the board to make its own arrangements.
The women’s cricket team, meanwhile, has continued to stay in accommodation arranged through the IOA.
India’s women’s team has already made a strong start to its title defence. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side beat hosts Japan by eight wickets in the quarter-final on Friday, with Shree Charani taking four wickets before Shafali Verma smashed an unbeaten 40 off just 15 balls to help India chase down 58 in five overs.
The victory sent India into the semi-finals, where they will face Bangladesh on September 20. A place in the last four also guarantees India a medal, with the bronze-medal match and final scheduled for September 22.
The men’s tournament, meanwhile, begins on September 24 with the group stage involving Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal in Group A and Hong Kong, Malaysia and Oman in Group B. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have received direct entry into the quarter-finals.
India will face the runners-up from Group A on September 28. If they progress, the semi-finals will be played on October 1, followed by the bronze-medal match and final on October 3. India are the defending men’s champions after winning gold at the 2023 Asian Games.
The accommodation and kit issues come against a backdrop of wider logistical concerns in Nagoya, with athletes from several contingents facing delays and confusion around their arrangements.
For the men’s cricket team, however, the immediate focus is on completing the final kit deliveries before departure, then turning attention to the September 22 T20I against Japan before their Asian Games quarter-final six days later.
– Ends
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