Virat Kohli was supposed to walk back into the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Instead, he walked into the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) and reminded everyone why it is a cakewalk for him to play the 50-over format.
After nearly seven months of uncertainty following the tragic June 4 stampede, Bengaluru fans had allowed themselves a little hope. Kohli returning for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy felt like the perfect way for cricket to reclaim the ground. Instead, the opening fixture against Andhra Pradesh was quietly relocated to the BCCI’s new Centre of Excellence on the city’s outskirts and played behind closed doors.
And then Kohli did Kohli things. Chasing 299, he produced a commanding 131 off 101 balls, his 50 coming in 39 deliveries and his hundred in 83, steering Delhi to 300 for 6 in just 37.4 overs. Ricky Bhui’s 122 for Andhra was reduced to a footnote. The only thing missing was a roaring crowd. Also, with the BCCI not live streaming the game, it only added bitter taste in the mouths of all the fans across the country.
Government shuts the Chinnaswamy door
The reason for the late venue switch is now clear. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed on Wednesday that permission to host matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was denied because the KSCA had failed to comply with key safety and security recommendations.
“After Venkatesh Prasad (former cricketer) led team was elected to administer the KSCA, they met the Chief Minister and deputy CM, seeking permission to host cricket matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The cabinet after discussion authorised me as the Home Minister to take a decision,” Parameshwara told reporters as per Indian Express.
“I had constituted a committee headed by Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) commissioner Maheshwar Rao and consisting of police commissioner and other department officials to visit the stadium and provide feedback.”
That committee visited the ground on Monday and, according to the minister, found that “none of the recommendations were complied with.” He further revealed that the government is acting on the findings of the Justice John Michael Cunha Commission, whose report stated that the stadium’s “design and structure” were “unsuitable and unsafe” for mass gatherings, recommending new entry-exit gates, queuing zones, emergency evacuation planning and sufficient parking.
KSCA spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya confirmed the shift to the Centre of Excellence near Kempegowda International Airport and insisted the association remains optimistic. “With this proactive approach and full compliance with the recommended measures, KSCA is confident that the necessary permissions for conducting Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium will be granted in the near future,” he said.
As of now, Kohli’s next scheduled Vijay Hazare Match, against Gujarat, will be played at the BCCI’s CoE as well. Unfortunately, that game will also not be live streamed by the BCCI.
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