New Delhi [India], September 4 (ANI): Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has questioned the preparedness of cricket infrastructure for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, highlighting concerns over pitch quality, player safety and accommodation arrangements.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener pointed to the challenges faced in preparing cricket infrastructure in countries where the sport is still developing.
Notably, the Asian Games 2026 will be hosted in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4 and India’s men's and women's teams are also going to feature.
Chopra said that there is renewed controversy surrounding the Asian Games, similar to what was seen during the previous edition. He pointed out that countries such as China and Japan have excellent sports infrastructure, but lack comparable facilities for cricket. According to him, these nations have also been slow to recognize cricket’s growing importance, and by the time they do, establishing the sport at a high level becomes a challenging task.
"There is a different kind of uproar surrounding the Asian Games. We saw the same thing last time as well. Whether it's China or Japan, these countries have all kinds of top-quality infrastructure, but not when it comes to cricket. They are also slow to wake up to cricket. By the time they do, they realize that building the necessary infrastructure is a very difficult job," Chopra said.
Chopra said that although efforts are made to prepare cricket facilities, the pitches often remain inadequate. He warned that poor-quality surfaces can become dangerous when faced with fast bowling, putting players’ safety at risk.
"They have tried, but we saw the same thing last time as well. If a top-flight bowler bowls fast, the pitches simply aren't ready. They can actually be dangerous to play on, and you feel that the safety of your own players is at stake. They prepare the ground but are unable to prepare the square, where no cricket would have been played. So, you shouldn't be surprised if it becomes dangerous," Chopra said in the video.
Chopra further said that cricket requires specialised facilities and accommodation standards that are not currently in place. He noted that shared rooms, cruise ships or converted containers may not provide the privacy and comfort cricketers are accustomed to when playing internationally.
"The second problem is that there probably isn't enough understanding that cricket is a different kind of sport. The facilities required to perform at the highest level simply aren't ready. They say they can't provide hotels, that two people will have to stay in one room, and that they are using cruise ships or converted containers as hotels. This is not how cricket is played," he said.
"You can call it slightly elitist or classist and question why it isn't acceptable for them when it is acceptable for everyone else. You may have a point, but the reality is that cricket is not played that way. When you travel around the world to play cricket, you get a single room to stay in. You get your privacy, and that is what players are accustomed to," Chopra added. (ANI)
Aakash Chopra flags concerns over quality of cricket infrastructure at Asian Games 2026
