Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif reckons Indian players will need to adapt to unorthodox and unusual facilities at the Asian Games in Japan. Kaif highlighted that Indian players are used to staying in high-end hotels during the IPL and also during the international schedule.

However, during the Asian Games, the conditions are expected to be different. Furthermore, the former UP batter said Indian players will also need to accalimatise to different pitches and it is not going to be easy.

“Our new players have grown up living in 7-star hotels. They live in 5-star hotels during the IPL, so I don’t know what the facilities will be like at the Asian Games 2026. I read somewhere recently that there might be small rooms, I don’t know what it’s going to be. I also don’t know how the pitches are going to be. When we went to New York for the T20 World Cup 2024, the players were troubled because of the spongy pitches and uneven bounce. The Indian players are not used to these kinds of issues,” Mohammad Kaif said on Cricbuzz.

“They are used to good pitches, good grounds, and hotels. If India manage to overcome these issues, then the gold medal is confirmed,” he added.

On the other hand, former Indian fast bowler Mohit Sharma said the goal of the Indian team will be to dominate in the Asian Games.

“I don’t think the goal here is winning, I think it is dominance. You are not just going to play or participate in the Asian Games, you are going to dominate. If we don’t dominate the teams with this squad in the Asian Games then somewhere or the other there must be a mistake,” Mohit Sharma said.

India had won the Gold medal in the Asian Games in 2023 under the captaincy of Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Shreyas Iyer’s team will play their opening game of the continental tournament on September 28.