The Indian cricketers competing at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan will stay at the designated accommodation arranged by the Organising Committee though they are not the five-star hotels they usually get on foreign tours, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said on Tuesday. Shukla said the issue on the accommodation of the hotels for the cricketers had arisen due to the scarcity of top-rated hotels in Nagoya.
He, however, said accommodation of the cricketers was not a big issue and the BCCI and the players are satisfied with the arrangement.
“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. “No problem, I think. We have already booked (the hotels). “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. “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.
“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. Because otherwise the options were to make them stay in Osaka or Tokyo that’s far away, they (cricketers) will be going and staying there. Because the accommodation is (not) like (Athletes’) Village, for every player, we cannot book hotel rooms.
The team will leave for Tokyo on September 20 and play a historic T20 against Japan on September 22. India open their Asian Games campaign on September 28.
Definitely those are not of five-star but a good accommodation,” Shukla said at the send-off ceremony of the Indian contingent . Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha also said that the problem has been sorted out but there still remains some lack of clarity over who booked the rooms for the cricketers. They (organisers) are providing a ship and small villas also,” Usha told PTI. Shukla said that the cricketers will not be staying at the twin-sharing rooms but in separate ones. 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.
