Complaints of subpar practice facilities and dissatisfaction with the New York pitch have now been joined by the India Cricket Team’s displeasure with their hotel gym. This dissatisfaction has led the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to swiftly take action and purchase new gym memberships during the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Despite being one of the wealthiest cricket boards globally, BCCI and the Indian team have often faced criticism for the lack of adequate facilities, even in major cricketing nations like the United States. The current issue revolves around the team’s hotel gym in Long Island, where Rohit Sharma & Co. are staying during the T20 World Cup.
Following complaints from the players about the inadequate gym facilities at the hotel, BCCI promptly acquired memberships for a popular gym chain in New York City, where the players can access better amenities and equipment.
According to reports from News18, the players were dissatisfied with the hotel gym and expressed their preference for a nearby gym. A source cited by News18 CricketNext stated, “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.”
Virat Kohli at the LA fitness for the gym session. 🐐pic.twitter.com/Vp3YSY5HmD
— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) June 11, 2024
The India Cricket Team’s stay in Long Island will conclude after their match against the USA on Wednesday, following which they will travel to Florida for their next fixtures.
However, dissatisfaction hasn’t been limited to just the gym. Team management, including Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma, also raised concerns about the practice facilities provided. Although the ICC arranged the Cantiague Park with six drop-in pitches for practice, it turned out to be more of a family park than a professional cricket practice venue. Despite these concerns, neither the team management nor the BCCI lodged an official complaint with the ICC regarding the practice facility issue.