Growing dissatisfaction with the infrastructure and arrangements in Japan could prompt India to field second-string cricket squads at the upcoming Asian Games 2026. The cricket events are slated to run across late September and early October, starting with the women's event from September 17 to 22, followed by the men's tournament from September 24 to October 3. However, serious doubts raised by both the BCCI and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) regarding the ground conditions and player amenities have thrown the nation's squad selection into uncertainty.
BCCI could send second string team to Asian Games 2026
To evaluate the situation firsthand, the BCCI is dispatching an official delegate to inspect the facilities in Japan. The decision on whether to send first-choice international players or secondary lineups will depend entirely on the delegate's findings. A BCCI insider revealed via ANI that key stakeholders voiced strong objections to Japan Olympic officials during a recent ACC meeting, pointing out glaring issues such as makeshift tent dressing rooms located 500 metres away from basic restroom facilities, alongside cramped hotel accommodations. Should these conditions fail to meet acceptable professional standards upon inspection, Indian cricket administrators are prepared to keep their top-tier talent at home.
Heading into the Aichi-Nagoya Games, India carry the title of reigning champions following their double-gold triumph at the 2023 edition in Hangzhou, China. During those previous Games, the men’s side clinched top honors after rain forced a abandonment of the gold medal clash against Afghanistan, allowing India to claim victory by virtue of their higher tournament ranking.
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Both the men's and women's contingents have named formidable, star-studded lineups to defend their titles. The men's roster is spearheaded by skipper Shreyas Iyer, supported by vice-captain Tilak Varma, dynamic keeper Ishan Kishan, and elite fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, alongside rising batting talents Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Equally stacked, the women’s squad features seasoned leaders Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, alongside explosive opener Shafali Varma and pace bowler Renuka Thakur.
India men’s T20I squad
Shreyas Iyer (capt), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vice-capt), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit Bumrah.
Indian women’s T20I squad
Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), G. Kamalini (WK), Bharti Fulmali, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Nandni Sharma