RCB matches at M. Chinnaswamy still uncertain!

Bengaluru: It remains uncertain whether the defending champions, RCB, will play their home matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during this IPL season. Although the state government has granted conditional permission to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to host IPL and international matches, RCB has not yet agreed. KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad stated that the franchise has requested more time to announce its final decision.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Prasad noted that while RCB prefers playing at home, the franchise has certain concerns. He mentioned that talks are ongoing between RCB and KSCA, and if everything goes as planned, the matches will eventually happen at Chinnaswamy.

Ball in RCB’s Court

Prasad emphasized that the ball is now in RCB’s court. The franchise must also coordinate with the government regarding hosting the matches. He stated that the KSCA is doing everything possible to bring the games back, but since RCB grew because of the local fans, the franchise must also take some responsibility to play in Bengaluru.

While the team expressed their love for the local crowd, they also highlighted major concerns regarding the current situation. "While our desire is always to play at our home ground, in front of our ardent fans, we want to be thorough in our commitment to understand further the conditions applicable to host matches here and the measures taken to ensure fans' safety protocols are met," RCB stated.

The franchise also pointed to specific "grey areas" in the current safety and logistical framework. "From our preliminary conversations, there are still a few grey areas that need to be looked into, and we are considering these parameters and inputs from all stakeholders before arriving at a responsible decision for the team and our fans," the statement added.

Work to be Completed by February?

The KSCA is currently undertaking stadium renovations based on the recommendations of the D’Cunha report and a review committee formed by Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara. They aim to complete these construction works by the end of February.

Confidence in Meeting Conditions

KSCA Secretary Nitin Menon expressed confidence in fulfilling the government's safety recommendations. He noted that significant work has been done over the last 45 days and they are confident of receiving government clearance once all safety measures are fully implemented.

Stadium Renovation in Progress

Following advice from the government and police department, several upgrades are underway at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. These include widening gates and clearing narrow passages to improve spectator movement. Specifically, the KSCA is working to level the ground around the inner stadium for easier fan movement and is making structural modifications to the gates and access paths for the B1, B3, and A stands. Additionally, there are plans to reduce pedestrian traffic on the narrow and potentially hazardous Queen’s Road stretch during match days to ensure public safety.