BCCI breaks silence after report says India will send ‘B’ team to Asian Games 2026

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has pushed back against a report claiming it would field a second-string squad at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. A BCCI source acknowledged the facility-related concerns raised in the report but stated clearly that India would not be sending a B team to the tournament.

Despite that earlier report, the BCCI source’s statement makes the board’s present position clear: a full-strength squad will travel to Japan for the Games.

“BCCI and ACC are not happy with the facilities and arrangements in Japan, and the board will send an observer there. The observer will submit its report to us, and if arrangements are not up to the mark, we could consider sending a B team there,” a BCCI source said as quoted by NDTV Sports.

What facility concerns have been flagged at the Asian Games venue?

The specific problems identified in the report centre on conditions at the match venue and nearby accommodation. Dressing rooms at the ground have been constructed using tents, with washroom facilities located roughly 500 metres away. Hotel rooms assigned to the competing teams have also been described as very small.

Cricket at the 2026 Asian Games will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture, situated approximately 400 kilometres north-east of Nagoya. The BCCI observer is expected to inspect the venue and submit findings to the board before any further decision is taken in consultation with the relevant stakeholders. The 2026 Asian Games open on September 19, 2026 and close on October 4, 2026. The women’s cricket tournament runs from September 17 to September 22, 2026, while the men’s event is scheduled from September 24 to October 3, 2026.

India won gold at the previous edition of the Asian Games, held in Hangzhou, China in 2023. The men’s team was declared winners over Afghanistan on the basis of higher seeding after the final was washed out by rain.

Which squads has the BCCI named for the Asian Games?

The BCCI has confirmed squads for both the men’s and women’s T20I tournaments ahead of the Games. Shreyas Iyer will captain the men’s side, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain. Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the women’s side, with Smriti Mandhana serving as vice-captain.

India men’s squad for Asian Games:

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.

India women’s squad for Asian Games:

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.