In a last-minute development, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has been directed to move all Vijay Hazare Trophy matches in Bengaluru away from the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), citing security concerns.
The decision, communicated to the KSCA by Karnataka’s home ministry on Tuesday morning, means that Wednesday’s high-profile opener between Delhi and Andhra—featuring Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant—will no longer take place at the city-centre venue. Both teams have been informed, with their training sessions also shifted to the CoE.
This marks the second venue change in less than a fortnight. Earlier, the KSCA had moved select matches involving Kohli and Pant from Alur to the Chinnaswamy Stadium after facing logistical and security challenges. The latest directive now shifts the entire slate of Bengaluru-hosted games to the CoE.
As part of the arrangement, all matches are set to be played behind closed doors. Bengaluru police have assured heightened security around the Aerospace Park area, where the Centre of Excellence is located. The facility has previously hosted events such as the Duleep Trophy, Women’s World Cup warm-up matches, and India A fixtures, all without spectators.
Only recently, the KSCA had expressed confidence in staging matches at the Chinnaswamy, even floating the idea of opening two stands to the public, potentially allowing 2,000 to 3,000 spectators. However, that proposal is understood to have met strong resistance from the state government, which flagged possible security and compliance risks—especially during the busy holiday season, when crowd control around the stadium could become problematic.
On Monday, a government-appointed committee comprising officials from the police, public works, and fire safety departments inspected the Chinnaswamy Stadium and submitted a report assessing its readiness.
Since former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad assumed office as KSCA president earlier this month, activity around the iconic venue has intensified. Multiple meetings have been held with government authorities regarding the potential return of top-tier cricket, including the IPL, to the Chinnaswamy—subject to addressing concerns highlighted in the Justice John Michael D’Cunha report, which had previously termed the stadium “highly unsafe” for large gatherings.
For now, however, the focus shifts to the Centre of Excellence, as the Vijay Hazare Trophy continues under tighter security and without fans in attendance.
