IND A vs AUS A: 'Idhar udhar se koi infection aa gaya hoga' - Rajeev Shukla dismisses food poisoning claims

IND A vs AUS A: 'Idhar udhar se koi infection aa gaya hoga' - Rajeev Shukla dismisses food poisoning claims. (Photo Source : Twitter)

BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla has responded to reports of four Australian players suffering from food poisoning during their three-match unofficial ODI series against India A in Kanpur. He clarified that the illness may not have been caused by the food served to them during the tour.

Shukla explained that the players’ meals were provided by a reputed hotel and noted that if there had been an issue with the food, Indian players would have also fallen ill, which was not the case. Australian pacer Henry Thornton was reportedly hospitalised due to the illness.

"If there had been an issue with the food, all players, including the Indian players, would have fallen sick. It must have been something else. They are being fed food from one of the finest hotels, Hotel Landmark; the food is good, and everyone is eating the same. Since a few players have fallen ill. Idhar udhar se koi infection aa gaya hoga (They may have contracted an infection), and we are handling it,” said Shukla as quoted by Times of India.

Shukla further elaborated on the logistical challenges faced during the series, pointing out the limited availability of multiple five-star hotels 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,” Shukla said.

India A sealed a 2-1 series victory over Australia A with a two-wicket win in the third and final unofficial ODI in Kanpur. After opting to bat first, Australia A were bowled out for 316 in 49.1 overs. Jack Edwards top-scored with a brisk 89 off 74 balls, while Liam Scott (73 off 64) and Cooper Connolly (64 off 49) made valuable contributions. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana were impressive with the ball, taking three wickets each.

In reply, India A chased down the target in 46 overs, led by opener Prabhsimran Singh’s blistering 102 off 62 balls. Riyan Parag (62 off 55) and Shreyas Iyer (62 off 58) also played crucial roles in the successful chase. For Australia A, leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha stood out with figures of 4 for 72.