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Rajasthan Royals interested to shift home venue to Pune for multiple IPL seasons, RCB deal less likely: Maharashtra Cricket Association

The Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune will be allotted to Rajasthan Royals if its confirmation comes through first, said MCA honorary secretary Kamlesh Pisal.

Rajasthan Royals intends to shift its IPL home venue from Jaipur to Pune for multiple seasons, with the MCA confirming their willingness to host the franchise. (File)Rajasthan Royals intends to shift its IPL home venue from Jaipur to Pune for multiple seasons, with the MCA confirming their willingness to host the franchise. (File)

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals has expressed intent to shift its home venue to Pune for multiple seasons, Maharashtra Cricket Association’s (MCA) honorary secretary Kamlesh Pisal confirmed to The Indian Express Monday.

There have been rumours that Royals will move some home matches from Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur for the IPL 2026 season due to disagreements with the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA).

Earlier this month, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) also showed interest in shifting their home venue to Pune, but the MCA Stadium will be allotted to Rajasthan Royals if its confirmation comes through first, said Pisal.

He said a Royals team visited the MCA Stadium in Pune on November 18 for an inspection. “They have shown their willingness. And now the decision is with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as we have also shown our willingness to allot the venue to Rajasthan Royals.”

Pisal said the Royals have been showing their interest at the Pune stadium for a couple of seasons. “It seems more likely that they will take the venue,” he added.

RCB is looking at Pune as its home venue (https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/most-ideal-location-pune-host-rcb-home-matches-ipl-10360882/) since the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru has been embroiled in controversy after a stampede on June 4 that led to the deaths of 11 people during the celebration of the team’s first-ever IPL win. The stadium was removed from the list of hosts for the recently concluded Women’s World Cup as well.

Pisal said RCB is yet to confirm if it will move its home matches in IPL 2026 to Pune. “We asked RCB to confirm it, but they said they are not able to do so before the player auction.”

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“For them, there are two or three factors that prevent shifting the venue. There is significant public pressure on the government to host the games in Bengaluru itself. So, tomorrow the government might change its decision. So if we decide to go with RCB and then RCB turns their back, then it will be a problem for us,” added Pisal.

The stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium led to the death of 11 people. Subsequently, a state committee found the venue “unsafe” for large-scale events.

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More


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