No Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson at Asian Games 2026? India likely to send B team due to THIS major reason

Shreyas Iyer named captain of the Indian squad announced for the Asian Games 2026.

The upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan will be a crucial occasion for cricket, with some of the best Asian teams looking to square off in a combative multi-team T20I tournament.

India had initially announced a very strong squad for both the men’s and women’s competitions, underlining the importance of the multi-sport competition. The tournament will be played next month, with the women’s cricket competition scheduled for September 17-22, followed by the men’s tournament from September 24th to October 3rd.

India will also enter the tournament as the defending champions, as both the men’s and women’s teams won gold medals at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.  

However, some questions have now emerged over the readiness of the facilities that are likely to be provided to the cricketers.

The concerns reportedly involve both the accommodations and the playing venue. This prompted the BCCI, after directions from the ACC, to consider further assessment before sending over the Indian contingent. 

BCCI could send their B-team to Japan for the Asian Games

According to an ANI report citing a BCCI source, the board could consider sending a second-string team to Japan. This decision was considered after the facilities were found to be inadequate during the inspection. 

The BCCI are likely to inspect the arrangements in Japan, and the final decision will be dependent on that assessment. The concerns were raised over the cricket venue, which is likely to host the men’s cricket event in the Asian Games. The venue is Korogi Sports Park, which has not had regular exposure to cricket. 

However, it was also noted that the venue has previously hosted limited competitive cricket, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Qualifier in May.

Some reports by The Tribune also reveal that dressing rooms have been set up in tents, while the washrooms are about 500 meters away. The size of the hotel rooms that might be used to accommodate these players was also under scrutiny. 

India had earlier announced a strong squad comprising several senior cricketers, including Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. 

A change to a ‘B’ squad would surely mark a significant shift in India’s dynamics, though no official sources have confirmed any changes to the squad.

It will surely not comprise most of the renowned cricketers who were earlier named in the squad. However, for now, this is just a possibility, not a confirmation.

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