VHT 2025-26: Virat Kohli arrived in Bengaluru on late Monday evening. (AP Photo/File)
Fans in Bengaluru will not get to watch Virat Kohli featuring in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as Delhi’s fixtures have been moved to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CeO) where the match against Andhra will be played behind closed doors for the public.
It is understood that with the stadium yet to meet all the safety recommendations suggested by the Justice Cunha commission, the review committee felt the venue isn’t ready to host matches as yet. Less than 24-hours before Delhi were scheduled to play Andhra in the first round of Vijay Hazare Trophy at Chinnaswamy stadium, based on a report of the review committee — appointed by the Karnataka government — the city police denied permission for the international venue to host the match on Wednesday.
Ever since the stampede which led to 11 deaths outside the stadium premises during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory celebrations, top-flight cricket has come to a standstill at one of India’s iconic venues. It was scheduled to host the ICC Women’s World Cup opener and final before it was moved out and missed out on the upcoming T20 World Cup matches as well.
Since Monday, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has been in talks with the local government authorities, exploring the possibility of hosting Delhi’s first two games; against Andhra and Gujarat, at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
With Kohli and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant part of the side, the KSCA was hoping to get permission to host the match with a capacity of around 2,500 to 3,000 spectators. KSCA even proposed that the match be held behind closed doors at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. But following a meeting on Tuesday morning, the KSCA was informed that they had to look for another venue. So for the first time since the Covid-induced protocols were lifted, Kohli will play a fixture behind closed doors.
“The KSCA has been informed by the Police authorities that, based on the recommendations of the Review Committee, permission for the conduct of Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is presently not finding favour and hence permission is not forthcoming,” Vinay Mruthyunjaya, the spokesperson of KSCA said in a statement.
“KSCA remains fully committed to implementing all practicable safety, security, and infrastructure-related measures at the earliest. With this proactive approach and full compliance with the recommended measures, KSCA is confident that the necessary permissions for conducting Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium will be granted in the near future. In the interim, the Vijay Hazare matches have been shifted to the BCCI Centre of Excellence, NCA,” Mruthyunjaya stated.
The CoE is located in the outskirts of Bengaluru and has hosted Duleep Trophy, India A’s fixtures against South Africa and also a couple of Ranji Trophy fixtures.
After Kohli had confirmed his participation in the tournament, the KSCA had moved Delhi’s first two matches, which were originally scheduled to take place at the KSCA grounds in Alur, to the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Having not played any match in Bengaluru since the IPL, Vijay Hazare was supposed to mark Kohli’ comeback to his adopted home with his home team Delhi. When he turned up for Delhi in a Ranji fixture earlier this year, fans thronged the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium Instead, fans in Bengaluru will have to wait till IPL to see Kohli play again — that too only if the Chinnaswamy Stadium is thrown open to fans again.
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