The stage is set for the latest edition of the Asian Games 2026. The cricketing event at the tournament will begin on September 28, as the side will directly play in the quarter-final of the tournament. It is interesting to note that the Indian team’s opponent in the competition is yet to be decided, and it could be interesting to see how the side fares.
Notably, the Asian Games 2026 are being played in Japan, and while the country is not one where cricket is played regularly, the pitches have been prepared at newly built venues where the teams will be playing.
Speaking on the same, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra came forward and talked about how the newly developed pitches could end up being dangerous.
"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 realise that making it is a very difficult job," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Aakash Chopra also talked about the accommodation issues
Furthermore, the former batter talked about how the various facilities in Japan are not ready for high-level cricket at all, criticising the various accommodation issues that have come to light ahead of the tournament. He opined that the cricketers are not used to such issues, and they could pose a problem deep into the competition.
"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," Chopra observed. It is interesting to note that Pakistan will be playing the first quarter-final of the Asian Games, with India playing the 2nd quarter-final.
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