Kohli likely back at Chinnaswamy as KSCA eyes Vijay Hazare shift

Bengaluru: After the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) received a conditional approval from the State government to host Indian Premier League (IPL) matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, high-profile domestic cricket could return much sooner with the decks being cleared to host the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, starting on December 24. 

Delhi, who are slotted in Group D for the national one-day championships, are set to play all their matches in Bengaluru. And Virat Kohli, who confirmed his availability for the couple games, will return to his "second home". 

However, with Delhi set to play five of their seven group fixtures in Alur, which can’t accommodate fans, it is understood that the KSCA will move matches involving Kohli from Alur to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, due to security reasons as there is a chance for fans to gather outside in ground in huge numbers. 

It is also not clear which of the games Kohli will be available for selection. The last time Kohli featured in a Vijay Hazare Trophy game was back in February 2010.

In another development, it is learnt that the KSCA might also allow close to 10,000 fans to watch the Royal Challengers Bengaluru star, if the requisite permission is given by the cops. 

The newly-elected KSCA office bearers have submitted a request seeking permission to host Hazare matches at Chinnaswamy and also met Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday to discuss the same. 

KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad had expressed his commitment to bring back international cricket to the venue.

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium has not hosted BCCI domestic or any international matches after the stampede on June 4 during RCB's victory celebrations that led to the death of 11 people. 

Apart from Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Harshit Rana, Ishant Sharma and Navdeep Saini will take part in the Vijay Hazare Trophy tournament.