Poor facilities in New York hotel force Team India to get gym membership at popular chain – Report

The International Cricket Council (ICC), despite its best efforts, has been facing challenges in trying to market cricket in the United States.

Team India has been forced to hunt for a gym in New York. (Getty Images)

New Delhi: The United States, especially New York, has been far from a perfect host for the participating teams at the T20 World Cup 2024. From ditching net practice sessions due to the danger of playing at drop-in pitches to practising at public parks, players have to face various challenges in the USA, which is hosting a global cricket tournament for the first time.

Now in a recent turn of events, The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had to buy gym memberships for the Indian players outside the hotel due inadequate facilities inside their hotel in New York. The Men in Blue have been staying in Long Island, venue of the Group A matches of the Indian cricket team.

According to a report in Cricket Next, the players are using gym facilities at a popular chain in the area as they were unhappy with the arrangement within the team hotel.

“Yes, the team doesn’t use the hotel gym and they have a membership of a gym nearby and everyone uses that. It is a very popular gym chain,” the report quoted a source as saying.

Reports of the Indian team’s discontent over the “average facilities” at Cantiague Park, an official net area with six drop-in pitches, emerged a few days back.

The International Cricket Council (ICC), despite its best efforts, has been facing challenges in trying to market cricket in the United States, which is aloof to the game loved and followed by billions in the Asian sub-continent.

“We all are aware of the rushed arrangements everywhere. From practice to ground to the gym facilities in the hotel, everything is here and there. Chaos is the right word,” the source further said.

India in pole position to progress to Super Eight

Rohit Sharma’s men are in pole position to advance to the Super Eight stage as table-toppers from Group A. The Men in Blue sit at the top of the group with back-to-back victories against Ireland and Pakistan. The Asian giants crushed the Irish challenge in the opener before edging past the arch-foes in a low-scoring thriller on Sunday. A victory against co-hosts USA at the Nassau County in  International Cricket Stadium, New York today (June 12, Wednesday) will seal their progress to the next round.