The highly anticipated return of cricket superstar Virat Kohli to Bengaluru's iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been postponed. The Bengaluru city police on Tuesday denied permission to host seven Group D Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at the venue, forcing a last-minute shift in plans.
Venue Shift Amid Security Concerns
The matches, featuring Delhi against Andhra on December 24 and Gujarat on December 26, were originally moved to Chinnaswamy from the KSCA Alur Stadium last week. This decision was made due to crowd management concerns at the Alur facility, located roughly 40 kilometers west of the city center. However, the police clearance did not materialize.
A high-level committee, led by Greater Bengaluru Authority commissioner Maheshwar Rao and including the city police commissioner and officials from public works, fire, and health departments, inspected the stadium on Monday. The committee later met with Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials, including president and former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad, to discuss the implementation of the Justice Michael Cunha Commission report, which had outlined 17 safety recommendations.
"Based on the recommendations of the Review Committee, permission for conducting matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is not finding favour," the KSCA stated, adding that it respects the decision.
Stampede Fallout Influences Decision
The police department's reluctance stems directly from the tragic June 4 stampede outside the same stadium during the RCB's IPL victory celebrations, which claimed 11 lives. The incident led to the suspension of several police officials, including the commissioner.
"Hence, the police department does not want to face such a situation again. Fingers will be pointed at us, irrespective of where the fault lies," a police officer explained, highlighting the heightened caution.
This development ends weeks of speculation about Kohli's first appearance at the Chinnaswamy since that unfortunate event.
Backup Plan Activated at BCCI Centre
Anticipating a possible denial, the KSCA had simultaneously approached the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) as a backup venue. With no other matches scheduled on its three grounds, the shift was executed immediately after talks with government agencies concluded.
The matches will now be held on Grounds Two and One at the CoE and will be played behind closed doors, as the facility has no provision for spectator entry. Teams were informed of the change, triggering hurried preparations at the CoE on the city's outskirts.
On Tuesday, Virat Kohli and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant joined the Delhi squad for net practice at the new venue. Kohli trained for about an hour alongside teammates like Ishant Sharma and Navdeep Saini. This marks Kohli's first visit to the sprawling CoE facility, which relocated from inside the Chinnaswamy Stadium over a year ago.
Crucial Game Time Before New Zealand Series
These two Vijay Hazare matches, mandated by the BCCI, provide Kohli with vital game time ahead of India's three-match ODI series against New Zealand, beginning January 11. With India scheduled to play 21 ODIs in the run-up to the 2027 World Cup, every opportunity counts.
Kohli enters the tournament in sublime form, having scored 302 runs, including two centuries, in the recent three-match home series against South Africa.
