The uncertainty over M Chinnaswamy Stadium being able to host IPL matches during the upcoming season continues, and it has given the BCCI another headache to deal with. As per the rules, the opening ceremony
for a fresh IPL season is held at the home ground of the defending champions, and given Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the title holders, a final decision hasn’t been taken yet.
RCB play their home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which hasn’t hosted any high-profile contest ever since a deadly stampede outside the venue resulted in the death of 11 people.
According to a report in Dainik Jagran, the IPL governing council held discussions on the possible alternatives for the opening ceremony should RCB decide not to play their home matches in Bengaluru.
As per various reports, RCB could play their opening two home matches in Raipur and the remaining five at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
However, the BCCI isn’t interested in hosting the ceremony in a non-metro city, and therefore, there’s a possibility that RCB could begin their season in Navi Mumbai.
Alternatively, Mullanpur, the home venue of last season’s runners-up Punjab Kings, is also being considered as a possible option.
The publication further reported that RCB were offered Thiruvananthapuram as an option, which they turned down.
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