Health scare in Australia A camp as four players fall sick in Kanpur, one hospitalised – BCCI issues statement

A health scare struck the Australia-A camp during their ongoing One-Day series against India-A in Kanpur, as four players, including the captain, were diagnosed with stomach infections. While India-A had secured a comprehensive victory in the first unofficial ODI, Australia-A equalized the three-match series at 1-1 with a straightforward nine-wicket win in the second ODI.

Fast bowler Henry Thornton was the most severely affected and was admitted to Regency Hospital after his condition deteriorated. The other three players received treatment and were discharged following routine medical examinations. Team sources indicated that the illness might be linked to food consumed at the hotel, although neither hospital authorities nor team management have officially confirmed this.

According to the local team manager, four players were initially taken to the hospital for evaluation. While three were cleared to return after their test results came back normal, Thornton showed signs of a severe infection and required observation. He was later discharged once his condition improved and was allowed to return to the hotel.

In light of the incident, the Australian team management has revised the players' diet plan as a precaution. Although this adjustment has disrupted training routines, officials stressed that the health of the players is the top priority. All four affected cricketers had participated in the opening ODI of the series.

Meanwhile, the Food Department collected samples from the hotel kitchen for testing but found no contamination or irregularities in the food served. The hotel management denied any connection between its food and the illness, attributing the incident instead to changes in weather conditions.

Addressing the issue, BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla remarked, "The hotel involved is one of the finest in Kanpur. If the food were indeed the problem, then every player would have been impacted. This situation requires further investigation."

The health concern has briefly interrupted Australia-A's training, yet officials are optimistic that all players will fully recuperate before the upcoming match.

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