Ahead of the Asian Games 2026, former Indian cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra has wondered whether cricket should be a part of the multi-sport continental event. He added that the pitches prepared at the newly built venues could become dangerous as well. The Asian Games 2026 will be hosted in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4 as well. Full-strength men’s and women’s Indian cricket teams have been picked for the mega event too.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “There is a different uproar going on about the Asian Games. We saw it last time as well. Whether it’s in China or Japan, these countries have all kinds of top-quality infrastructure, but not for cricket. They also wake up late for cricket. By the time they wake up, they realize that making it is a very difficult job.”
“They have tried, but we saw last time as well that if a top-flight bowler bowls fast, the pitches aren’t ready at all. They are actually dangerous to play. You feel the safety of your own players is on the line. They prepare the ground but are unable to prepare the square, and no cricket would have been played on it. You shouldn’t be surprised at all if it becomes dangerous,” he further added.
READ HERE: Shubman Gill Breaks Silence On ODI Futures Of Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli
However, Aakash Chopra also added that the accommodation facilities would also not be to the cricketers’ liking.
“The second problem is that there probably isn’t enough realization that cricket is a different kind of sport. The facilities that are required just to perform at the highest level aren’t ready at all. They say they can’t provide hotels, two people will stay in a room, and that they are using cruise ships or converted containers as hotels. This is not how cricket actually happens,” he said.
“You can call it slightly elitist or classist, as to why it is not right for them when it is right for everyone else. You may have a point, but the truth is that cricket is not played like that. When you go to play cricket around the world, you get a single room to stay. You get your privacy, and you are used to that,” he concluded.
