India’s men’s cricket team will wear its regular BCCI jersey for the historic T20 International against Japan on September 22, with the Asian Games kit issue also resolved ahead of the tournament.
The clarification came after concerns emerged that some members of Shreyas Iyer’s squad had not received correctly sized Asian Games apparel before their departure for Japan.
A Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports source said the team had now received its Asian Games kit and that the sizing issue had been resolved.
“Team India will wear the BCCI jersey for the match against Japan. The team has received its Asian Games kit for the rest of the tournament, and the issue has been resolved,” the source told ANI.
Why Will India Wear The BCCI Jersey Against Japan?
India’s September 22 match against Japan is a standalone bilateral T20I and is not part of the Asian Games competition.
As a result, the Indian team will wear its usual international playing kit for the fixture before switching to the official Indian contingent apparel for the Asian Games campaign.
The source clarified that the match against Japan is separate from the continental tournament.
“The team will play the match against Japan in their normal kit as the match doesn’t belong to the Asian Games; it’s a friendly match. But for the rest of the tournament, the size issue has been resolved, and they have received their kit for the tournament,” the source said.
Historic India-Japan Cricket Match
The September 22 fixture at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture will mark the first men’s international between India and Japan.
The match is also part of celebrations leading up to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan and the broader “Sport 75” initiative.
For Japan, the game will provide an opportunity to face India ahead of the Asian Games, while India will use the contest as preparation for its title defence.
India won the men’s cricket gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games and will enter the 2026 competition as defending champions.
BCCI Welcomes Historic Fixture
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia described the India-Japan match as an important occasion for cricket.
“The BCCI is delighted to be part of this historic occasion as the Indian and Japanese men’s teams come together for a special T20 International in Japan,” Saikia said.
He added that the fixture would take Indian cricket into new territory and provide an opportunity to introduce the sport to a wider audience in Japan and East Asia.
India Could Face Japan Again At Asian Games
There is also a possibility of India and Japan meeting again during the Asian Games.
Japan are in Group A alongside Afghanistan and Nepal in the men’s cricket competition. India, meanwhile, have entered directly into the quarter-finals and are scheduled to play on September 28 against the team finishing second in Japan’s group.
India are captained by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as deputy. The squad also includes Jasprit Bumrah, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh and teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
With the Asian Games apparel issue now resolved, India’s focus can turn to its two-stage assignment in Japan — beginning with the historic T20I against the hosts on September 22.
