Rajeev Shukla Defends Australian Players’ Facilities Amid Illness During IND A vs AUS A Series

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has defended the facilities given to the Australian players in Kanpur after some of them fell sick during the unofficial ODI series against India A. He said the illness could be due to an infection and not related to the food at Hotel Landmark, where the players were staying.

The Australia A cricket camp has been affected by a stomach infection, with four players, including captain Jack Edwards, falling sick. Fast bowler Henry Thornton’s condition became serious, and he was hospitalized at Regency Hospital, while the other three players were treated and released after routine checks. 

Some reports from the team indicated the infection might have originated from hotel food, but no confirmation came from the hospital or management, putting a spotlight on food security at Hotel Landmark, where both teams are housed. The Food Department has collected samples of several food items for testing and the results are awaited.

Kanpur, UP: During the IND A vs AUS A match, some Australian players fell ill. The Food Department has collected samples of several food items from the Landmark Hotel for testing

Congress MP Rajeev Shukla says, "If there was anything wrong with the food, all India-Australia… pic.twitter.com/NLVeAC4rFh

— IANS (@ians_india) October 5, 2025

“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, they may have contracted an infection, and we are handling it.” Rajeev Shukla told IANS.

“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.” he added.

Shukla explained that player illnesses are rare in the IPL because the BCCI doesn’t control player hotels or food there franchises handle all arrangements. For international or unofficial matches, the BCCI manages stays and meals. He added, “In the IPL, everything depends on the franchises; they choose the hotel, and BCCI has no role.” Meanwhile, India A won the first unofficial ODI, but Australia A bounced back in the second match with a nine-wicket win to level the series 1-1. The final game will be in Kanpur on Sunday.