India won't get five-star hotels at Asian Games, BCCI assures 'good accommodation' in Nagoya

BCCI on Asian Games Accommodation: No Five-Star, But Players Will Be Comfortable

Here's the situation with the India cricket squad's lodging at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya. No five-star hotels, but the BCCI is confident the arrangements are solid.

The Accommodation Debate

BCCI VP Rajiv Shukla addressed the elephant in the room on Tuesday. Nagoya simply doesn't have the density of top-tier hotels that Tokyo or Osaka do, and this prompted questions about where our teams would be based.

Shukla's take: "Definitely those are not five-star but a good accommodation." He confirmed the BCCI has reviewed photos and videos of the lodging and deemed it comfortable.

Why Nagoya and Not Tokyo/Osaka?

Straight math here. Both Tokyo and Osaka are a 1.5-hour bullet train ride away—impractical for daily commutes during a tournament. More importantly, the Asian Games keeps all participating nations housed together in the host city. Splitting teams across multiple cities just doesn't fit the family model of the Games.

Beyond the Beds

The real concern was playing infrastructure. The BCCI wanted guarantees on the ground, wicket, and dressing rooms before green-lighting the travel. The Asian Cricket Council sent an inspection team, and per Shukla, they came back satisfied—"everything is fine."

The Bottom Line

- Departure: Sept 20 → Tokyo

- vs Japan (T20): Sept 22

- Asian Games campaign kicks off: Sept 28

- India are defending champions in both men's and women's events (gold at 2023 Hangzhou)

Shukla also killed the rumour that India is sending a weakened "B team"—full strength contingent going, and the expectation is gold.

My read: The accommodation is a non-issue. The focus should be on the pitch conditions and match readiness. When you're entering as double defending champion, the only variable that matters is whether the wicket serves our batsmen. That's what I'd be watching.

Source: Crictracker