Star India batter Virat Kohli, who is set to make his return to domestic 50-over cricket in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), is likely to play all his matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru after the newly elected Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) administration received clearance from the state government to resume hosting matches at the venue.
The development comes months after the Chinnaswamy Stadium was declared “unfit for large-scale events” by the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission, which was appointed by the Karnataka government to probe the tragic stampede that occurred during celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) maiden IPL title win earlier this year. The incident in June claimed 11 lives and left several others injured.
Since the stampede, the iconic stadium has not hosted any top-tier cricket. The KSCA Maharaja Trophy was shifted to Mysore in August, and the venue also missed out on hosting its five scheduled ICC Women’s World Cup matches, including the final, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Green Signal for Matches, Chinnaswamy Back on BCCI Radar
Now, the decks have been cleared for the stadium’s gradual return to cricket. Following positive discussions between KSCA officials and the state government, the Chinnaswamy Stadium is once again on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s radar.
Virat Kohli could potentially play all his Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at his RCB home ground, although the KSCA plans to initially host some matches at Alur. Kohli, along with Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, has been named among the probables and is expected to be available for at least the first three matches of the tournament.
KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad and vice-president Sujith Somasunder met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, and other senior officials in Belagavi earlier this week. The discussions reportedly yielded encouraging feedback regarding the resumption of matches at the Bengaluru venue.
Limited Crowd, Safety Measures Planned
According to ESPNcricinfo, the KSCA is considering opening only a few stands, allowing an attendance of 2,000 to 3,000 spectators, keeping safety concerns in mind while also factoring in the star appeal of players like Kohli and Pant.
During the meetings, the Prasad-led KSCA committee assured the government that it is committed to implementing as many recommendations as possible from the D’Cunha Commission report, aimed at preventing any future incidents.
IPL Return Also in Focus
The Vijay Hazare Trophy matches are seen as just the first step, as the KSCA is keen to ensure that the Chinnaswamy Stadium does not lose its share of IPL matches next season.
“We are on track for the IPL to be back,” an office-bearer aware of the developments told ESPNcricinfo, adding that the recommendations of the commission will be implemented in a phased manner.
Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, after the state cabinet meeting on Friday, confirmed that permission had been granted with safeguards in place.
“To avoid any future incidents, we have put in place precautionary measures. We have granted permission accordingly,” he said, adding that the Home Minister will hold further discussions with the KSCA president and police officials.
“We have no intention of stopping cricket matches. But crowd management measures need to be examined. We also intend to implement the recommendations of the Justice Michael D’Cunha Committee in a phased manner. Venkatesh Prasad too has agreed to this,” Shivakumar added.