New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has given a January 27 deadline to Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises Royal Challengers
Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) to inform the cricket board about their home venues for the upcoming season. Both franchises are facing issues at their respective regular home bases in Bengaluru and Jaipur for varied reasons.
As per a report in Times Now, BCCI has informed both franchises to finalise the home venues or host playing cities by January 27 and notify the same to the Indian Cricket Board.
The Karnataka government prohibited Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium from hosting games following the deadly stampede incident last year, which claimed 11 lives. Meanwhile, RR’s fate as the host at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur came into peril after the Rajasthan Cricket Association were unable to hold elections on schedule in spite of the BCCI’s repeated warnings.
While RCB recently got the nod from the state government to host the IPL and international games and is keen to stage matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Karnataka state government’s several conditions have become a major hurdle for the defending IPL champions.
Home venue blues for RCB, RR
According to sources, RCB can host the matches at M. Chinnaswamy only on the condition that they take additional responsibility not only for stadium-related arrangements but also for the road outside the iconic Stadium. RCB must also take additional compliance measures, including restrictions on DJ usage and arrangements for setting up a fire brigade unit in the surrounding area.
RCB reportedly are worried about the government’s move to shift civic and administrative liabilities onto the franchise, which they feel doesn’t fall under the scope of their responsibility.
The franchise is set to hold discussions with the state government and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) before making a final decision on the home venue.
Meanwhile, RR, the Jaipur-based franchise, continues to be impacted by the Rajasthan Cricket Association’s (RCA) inability to hold elections. The franchise is likely to lose Sawai Mansingh Stadium as a home venue amid the long-standing administrative impasse that has continued for several years
