The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla broke his silence after four Australia A players reportedly fell ill ahead of the third unofficial ODI against India A last week. The players including pacer Henry Thornton, complained of severe discomfort after consuming food from their hotel. Thornton's condition worsened to the point that he had to be admitted to Regency Hospital, where doctors later stabilised him.
Rajeev Shukla on players' illness
However, the BCCI vice president, Shukla, rejected the claims that their illness was linked to food poisoning or unhygienic conditions at the hotel.
“If there had been an issue with the food, all players, including the Indian team, would have fallen sick. The food comes from Hotel Landmark, one of Kanpur’s reputed establishments. Everyone was served the same meal,” Shukla stated while addressing reporters.
Why did players get ill in Kanpur?
Shukla reckons that the players might have been infected from another source, dismissing the speculations of contaminated food being the cause. He further stated that both the BCCI and local authorities were closely monitoring the matter to prevent further issues.
“We need around 300 rooms in a five-star hotel, but such availability is limited. Additionally, Kanpur lacks a 24-hour international airport, which complicates arrangements. Despite that, we made sure the players received top-quality service,” he said.
India A vs Australia A third ODI
Coming back to the third ODI, Prabhsimran Singh's 102 off 68 followed by Shreyas Iyer's half-century, helped India to win the third decisive unofficial ODI by two wickets against Australia A to register a 2-1 win in the three-match ODI series.
Riyan Parag also contributed with 62 off 55 balls, while Ayush Badoni chipped in with 21 off 20. In the tense finish, Viprag Nigham held his nerve with an unbeaten 24 off 32, alongside Arshdeep Singh, who added 7 off 4 to take India A over the line.