Australian Players Fall Sick In Kanpur, BCCI Reacts

Four players, including the captain of the Australia A team, contracted stomach infections amid their one-day series against India A in Kanpur. Henry Thornton was admitted to Regency Hospital following a deterioration in his condition. The remaining three players were treated and released after standard medical assessments.

Team sources indicated the illness might be related to food eaten at the hotel, although neither hospital officials nor team management officially confirmed it.

BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla gave his verdict on Australian players falling sick. Speaking to reporters in Kanpur, Shukla stated that all players are being served the same food from one of the finest establishments, and if food were the issue, then everyone would have been affected, not just a few players.

He then addressed the logistical challenges in Kanpur: "The issue arises because there aren't many hotels. We need 300 rooms in a five-star hotel, and that's not available. There is no international airport in the area that operates 24/7. Had better arrangements been in place, they would have gained an advantage."

When asked why the issue occurs only during senior international or unofficial games and not during the Indian Premier League (IPL), Shukla mentioned that the BCCI does not have a say in such matters during the tournament, as all arrangements are managed by the franchises themselves.

India A had previously won the first unofficial ODI convincingly, but Australia A evened the series at 1-1 with a straightforward nine-wicket win in the second ODI.