VHT: Venue change derails Virat Kohli's return to Chinnaswamy Stadium
What's the story
Bengaluru fans will miss the chance to see Virat Kohli in action during the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the home ground of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The local authorities have denied the stadium permission to host the match, leading to a change in plans. As a result, Delhi will begin their VHT campaign at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence behind closed doors.
Venue dilemma
Delhi's first-round match venue shifted
Delhi's first-round match against Andhra is scheduled for Wednesday morning. However, the venue has been shifted as local authorities did not permit crowd attendance. According to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), the committee created to inspect the Chinnaswamy Stadium gave security reasons for denying permission. Notably, the match was originally slated in Alur. It was later moved to M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Crowd control concerns
KSCA's request for limited crowd
The KSCA, led by former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad, had sought permission from the state government to host Delhi's opening match in front of 3,000 spectators. However, given the festive season and concerns over crowd control, the authorities are believed to have recommended playing behind closed doors. The presence of Indian stars Kohli and Rishabh Pant was expected to draw a huge crowd.
Stadium status
Chinnaswamy Stadium's future uncertain
The iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium hasn't hosted any matches since the June 4 stampede during RCB's IPL 2025 win celebrations, which killed 11 people and injured many. Notably, the stadium was later stripped of crucial ICC Women's World Cup 2025 matches. The BCCI also didn't include the stadium in the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup venue list. It remains to be seen if the stadium will host RCB's matches in the impending IPL season.