Kohli, RCB Set for Return to Chinnaswamy as KSCA Gets Government Clearance

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium is set to return to the BCCI’s hosting plans after the Karnataka government granted approval for matches to be staged at the venue, clearing the way for high-profile cricket to return to Bengaluru.

The development comes just a week after former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad was elected president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also been informed of the latest progress.

One immediate outcome could be Virat Kohli’s return to competitive cricket at Chinnaswamy. The KSCA is planning to shift Vijay Hazare Trophy matches involving Delhi from Alur to Bengaluru, citing security and logistical challenges. Kohli and Rishabh Pant are both named in an extended Delhi squad and could be available for the first three matches.

Prasad, along with KSCA vice-president Sujith Somasunder, recently held discussions with Karnataka chief minister Siddharamaiah, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar and other senior officials in Belagavi during the state assembly session. Those talks are understood to have been positive.

According to ESPNcricinfo, the KSCA is also working on plans to allow between 2,000 and 3,000 spectators into selected stands, given the expected interest in matches featuring two of India’s biggest stars.

During meetings with government officials, the Prasad-led KSCA committee reiterated its commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Justice John D’Cunha report on the Chinnaswamy Stadium, which was commissioned following the tragic stampede earlier this year.

While hosting Vijay Hazare Trophy matches is being viewed as a starting point, the KSCA is keen to ensure that Bengaluru remains a venue for the Indian Premier League.

“We’re on track for the IPL to be back,” a KSCA office-bearer told ESPNcricinfo, adding that the recommendations of the D’Cunha report would be implemented in phases.

“To avoid any future incidents, we have put in place precautionary measures. We have granted permission accordingly,” deputy chief minister Shivakumar said after a state cabinet meeting on Friday. He added that the home minister would hold further discussions with KSCA officials and the police.

The Chinnaswamy has not hosted top-level cricket since June 4, when a stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations resulted in 11 deaths and several injuries. The KSCA’s Maharaja Trophy was shifted to Mysore in August, and the venue also lost the opportunity to host five Women’s World Cup matches, including the final.

“We have no intention of stopping cricket matches,” Shivakumar said. “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, and Venkatesh Prasad has agreed to this.”