Bengaluru could be back at the centre of the Indian Premier League spotlight, with the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) formally requesting the BCCI to stage the opening match of the upcoming IPL season in the city. KSCA President and former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad has confirmed that serious discussions are already underway and that both the BCCI and the Karnataka government have shown positive intent.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Prasad said Bengaluru’s case is strengthened by tradition, as the IPL opener is usually hosted at the home ground of the defending champions. Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted the IPL trophy last season, making the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium the natural choice for the curtain-raiser.

However, uncertainty had clouded the venue after a tragic stampede during RCB’s victory celebrations in June, which claimed 11 lives. Following the incident, cricket matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium were suspended due to safety concerns, and the venue even lost the chance to host a Women’s World Cup match.

Government green signal boosts Bengaluru’s hopes of hosting IPL opener

That situation now appears to be changing. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar recently announced that cricket matches will be allowed at the stadium with strict safety measures in place. Prasad said both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have given a “green signal” for hosting matches, while discussions have also taken place with Home Minister G. Parameshwara regarding security arrangements.

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Prasad added that the KSCA is awaiting written permission from the state government, although oral assurances have already been given. He noted that the BCCI sees the government’s approval as a key requirement and has responded positively to the proposal.

Beyond the IPL opener, Prasad reaffirmed that Bengaluru will continue to host IPL, international and domestic matches across formats. He also confirmed that Virat Kohli is expected to visit the city for Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, with venues yet to be finalised.

If approvals fall into place, Bengaluru could soon reclaim its place as the ceremonial starting point of the IPL, offering fans a much-awaited return to high-profile cricket at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad has been officially elected as the new President of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The elections were held on Sunday, December 7. Leading the Team Game Changers panel, Prasad defeated KN Shanth Kumar, who was backed by former IPL chairman Brijesh Patel.

One of the main promises of Prasad’s panel was to bring cricket back to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. This includes hosting IPL matches as well as Indian team matches. It is important to note that no major matches have been held at the stadium since the stampede incident after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title win in 2025.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar visited the stadium to cast his vote. He stated that he would do everything possible to help bring cricket back to the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

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Venkatesh Prasad, the former India pace bowler, has been elected president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association pic.twitter.com/BjyDchwXaL

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 8, 2025

DK Shivakumar Assures IPL Will Stay At Chinnaswamy

“We will not allow IPL matches to be shifted out of the Chinnaswamy Stadium. This is a matter of pride for Bengaluru and Karnataka. We will ensure that IPL matches are held here. I am a cricket fan, and we will make sure that such incidents do not happen again in the future. We will protect the reputation of the stadium. We will also build a new cricket stadium as an alternative,” DK Shivakumar was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

On Sunday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, a KSCA life member and one of the early voters, again promised that the IPL will remain at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

“I am a cricket lover. We will ensure that such accidents do not happen again. We will hold cricket matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in a way that protects the honour of Bengaluru. We will not shift the IPL anywhere else. It will continue to be held at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. This is the pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka, and we will protect it,” he said.

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Venkatesh Prasad Joins Elite Group Of Former India Cricketers In Administration

After being officially elected as the new KSCA President, Venkatesh Prasad took to X and said that he felt honoured to take on the new role. He also spoke about his strong commitment to bringing cricket back to the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

“Humbled to take on the responsibility as KSCA President. Committed to bringing IPL and international cricket back to Chinnaswamy and to working for the growth of Karnataka cricket at all levels. With teamwork, transparency, and dedication, we will reach our goals. Thank you to every member who placed their faith in me,” Prasad tweeted.

With his election, Prasad has joined a small group of former India players who are now active in cricket administration. Former Delhi captain Mithun Manhas, now an administrator in Jammu & Kashmir, was recently elected as the BCCI President. Meanwhile, Prasad’s former India teammate Sourav Ganguly was unanimously elected as the President of the Cricket Association of Bengal.

Former India players Saurabh Tiwary and Shahbaz Nadeem have also entered cricket administration in Jharkhand and now hold key positions.

The Indian fast bowler, Venkatesh Prasad, and another former player, Shanta Rangaswamy, launched their election for the Karnataka State Cricket Association along with their former treasurer, Vinay Mrutyunjaya. Prasad promised to bring back the vital games at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium after the stampede case of the IPL post Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory.

Nearly two lakh fans gathered at 5 in the afternoon during the felicitation ceremony, which caused the crowd to rush, leading to 11 people dying and several getting injured. The ground has lost many international games, along with the Maharaj T20 trophy. They are also expected to lose the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 in late autumn.

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“We would like to bring back international cricket. Every international match has been moved out of Bangalore. It's such an iconic venue, Chinnaswamy Stadium, which has been standing for the last 50 years. This is something which has never happened. Even our own Maharaja Cup has also been moved out, which is not a good thing.” Prasad expressed, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

Venkatesh Prasad to bring high-profile games at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium if gets KSCA power

Post the backdrops of several safety failures, the future of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is under the clouds. Amidst all the safety measures, Prasad promised to convert the ground into a future-ready smart stadium with a digital ticketing system, fan experience, and better crowd management technology.

“We need to work on that. Because, as I said earlier, this was built in 1974 for the first Test match. I'm sure we cannot take it to 80,000 and so on. So, probably another 15,000 more, maybe up to 50,000, and now it's 34,000-35,000. One of the preconditions whenever the BCCI allots matches is that they give us a deadline to get the state government permission.” The former pacer informed.

Prasad also informed that they would want to build a cricket museum like Lord’s and make the stadium a tourist destination, which would generate revenue while preserving the rich history of the game. The KSCA is set to go to the polls later this year, with the elections likely to take place in October. 

August 5, 1969, is the birthday of Venkatesh Prasad, who went on to form an undisputed bond with Javagal Srinath, another legend of Indian cricket. They both often formed a bond to operate the new ball to offer India a solid start.

The tall bowler from Karnataka is mostly known for his attacking mode of bowling and variations. Due to his wicket-taking mindset, the pacer got a notable number of successes while playing in overseas conditions. Though, some of his lethal strikes came in home assignments.

One of his best key advantages was that he could move the ball in both directions, and to surprise the batters, he liked to deliver effective slower ones. His most eventful spell came at Chennai, where, in the first Test in January 1999 against Pakistan, he forced Pakistan's second innings to a swift end with figures of 6 for 33.

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Career stats in brief 

In a World Cup match against the arch rivals, Prasad again ran a bulldozer over Pakistan's batting lineup. Against them at Old Trafford in 1999, big names of the Pakistan cricket team—Saleem Malik, Saeed Anwar, Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Wasim Akram—could not stand against the intelligent bowler. In 1996, at Durban, against South Africa in a Test match, Venkatesh bagged a 10-wicket figure, hauling 5 wickets in each inning.

His Test cricket career spanned from 1996 to 2001; during this period, the right-handed pacer played 33 matches and took 96 wickets in total. In ODIs, from 1994 to 2001, the bowling maestro claimed 196 wickets in total, participating in 161 games. Following retirement, he started a career in coaching. After gaining some experience with the Under 19 side and as coach of his statesideKarnataka, he was appointed India's bowling coach for the tour of Bangladesh in May 2007. 

Venkatesh Prasad spoke out about the KL Rahul scandal and said that he was criticized for speaking his mind even though he made sure he didn’t go too far.

On social media, Venkatesh Prasad’s repeated jibes about KL Rahul’s form caused quite a stir

After Prasad and Aakash Chopra got into a Twitter fight, what started as a one-off opinion turned into the hottest topic on Twitter. Chopra defended the India batter in response to Prasad’s incessant criticism of Rahul on Twitter, which led to an all-out argument. Prasad turned down a request to discuss the matter over a video and accused Chopra of being an “Agenda Peddler,” among other things.

After almost a month, things have settled down. In point of fact, Prasad even gave Rahul credit for his match-winning fifty in the first ODI against Australia in Mumbai; however, the former India pacer was forced to deal with the fallout from the entire Twitter scandal. Prasad divulged the criticism he received for speaking his mind while ensuring he did not cross the line, breaking his silence on the subject.

“I’ve got nothing against anybody but it’s just that whatever I feel I say it. Few people take it; few don’t. It’s up to them. It’s not that I’ve only spoken about KL Rahul. I even expressed my opinion over Sarfaraz Ahmed as well who has been performing brilliantly. I am sure that I didn’t cross the line, as simple as that. Few people have taken it very seriously and few have criticized,”

Prasad told CNN News 18.

Prasad said that his criticism of Rahul was based on how he had observed the India cricketer since he was young. He reiterated that Rahul’s performances have not adequately showcased his talent, but he also stated that he is optimistic that the star India batsman will soon improve his situation.

“Look I’ve got great respect and regard to KL Rahul. I’ve seen him since his Under-16 days – almost for 15 years. Having followed and worked with him at different stages be in Karnataka, at NCA or with the Indian team. He was given a long rope and that’s fair enough for the kind of potential that he has. But he has not lived up to the talent that he is there. I am sure it will get better in the next few months but having said that, I have not been harsh; I had to say what I felt,”

stated Prasad.

There was a lot of praise for KL Rahul after he scored an unbeaten 75 to help the Indian cricket team beat the Australians’ 189-run target at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Only a few weeks ago, the middle-order batter had received criticism from all sides for his performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Venkatesh Prasad, a former Indian cricketer who has been one of the batter’s most outspoken critics in recent weeks, offered perhaps the most surprising praise. The ex-India pacer has frequently advocated for Rahul’s removal from the side.

“Excellent composure under pressure and a brilliant innings by KL Rahul. Top knock. Great support by Ravindra Jadeja and a good win for India.”

On Friday, however, he tweeted.

Just a month back, Prasad had posted numerous strings on the miniature contributing to a blog webpage, presenting a defence for why Rahul should be dropped from the Indian group in Tests

“I have a lot of regard for KL Rahul’s talent and ability, but sadly his performances have been well below-par. A Test average of 34 after 46 Tests and more than 8 years in international cricket is ordinary. Can’t think of many who have been given so many chances. Some are just lucky to be given chances endlessly till they succeed while some aren’t allowed to,”

he tweeted.

Prasad had asserted that Rahul’s selection to the team was the result of favoritism.

“And to make matters worse, Rahul is the designated vice-captain… Rahul’s selection is not based on performance but favoritism . Has been consistently inconsistent and for someone who has been around for 8 years not converted potential into performances. One of the reasons why many ex-cricketers aren’t vocal despite seeing such favoritism… is the chances of losing out on potential IPL gigs. They wouldn’t want to rub the captain of a franchise wrong, as in today’s age most people like yes men and blind approvers. Often well wishers are your best critics but times have changed & people don’t want to be told the truth.”

He had gone one to add.

Rahul was ultimately dropped for the third and fourth Tests against Australia at Indore and Ahmedabad.