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Before a ball was bowled in the Southern Derby between RCB and CSK on Sunday evening, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was already the setting for something deeply special.

The Karnataka State Cricket Association officially unveiled stands named after two of the greatest cricketers Karnataka and India have ever produced, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, in a ceremony that marked 50 years of international cricket at the iconic venue. It was the kind of moment that reminds you cricket is about far more than just the game being played on any given evening.

The ceremony by KSCA at Chinnsawmy and what it meant

The felicitation was led by KSCA President and former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad, who shared a dressing room with both legends during their careers and was visibly moved throughout the ceremony.

Family members of both Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble were present for the official unveiling, which had been announced by the KSCA on February 14 alongside a similar honour for former India women's cricketer Shanta Rangaswamy.

The numbers behind the two men being honoured are staggering, Rahul Dravid accumulated 24,177 international runs and is India's second highest run-getter in Test cricket, while Anil Kumble's 956 international wickets include 619 in Tests and 337 in ODIs, making him India's highest wicket-taker in both formats.

Rahul Dravid also captained India to a memorable Test series win in England in 2007, while Kumble led the side with distinction across multiple formats.

What Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble said

During the annoucmeent ceremony on Feb 14, Rahul Dravid described the Chinnaswamy as his second home in the most literal sense, his father used to bring him here as a child to watch Ranji Trophy matches and he noted with a smile that during his playing days he likely spent more time at this ground than in his own house.

It was the kind of detail that cuts through the formality of a ceremony and reminds you of the human being behind the legend.

"It’s been a second home to me," Rahul Dravid said of the Chinnaswamy Stadium during a KSCA event. “And it’s been a place where… we’ve probably spent more time than we have in our houses. It’s been a place of great happiness, and sometimes great disappointment as well.

"But it's also a place that has truly given me everything I am today. I can never be grateful enough for what the KSCA and this great, iconic ground have given me in my life. I'm truly thankful that Venkatesh Prasad [the KSCA president] and his committee have decided to name an end after me. It means a lot." Rahul Dravid added.

Anil Kumble's words carried equal weight. He spoke about the honour reflecting the collective rise of Karnataka cricket rather than just his individual achievements, and said that seeing his name on a pavilion at the same ground he first visited as a nine-year-old was a special and humbling experience.

For a man who took 956 international wickets with relentless accuracy and intelligence, the word humbling felt entirely sincere.

“It’s really nice that my cricketing colleague Rahul Dravid and Shantha Rangaswamy are also being recognised for their massive contributions to Karnataka and Indian cricket. Congratulations to all of you,” Anil Kumble said.

“To see the stands named after so many of our legends, some who I had the privilege of playing with and others who set the tone and example for us to follow at KSCA, is so just wonderful,” he added.

Also READ: RCB vs CSK Playing XI: Chennai without Brevis, Hazlewood unavailable for Bengaluru as Gaikwad elects to field

The perfect backdrop for a big CSK vs RCB evening

The ceremony carried an emotinal charge that flowed directly into the match itself as RCB took on CSK in front of a packed and electric Chinnaswamy crowd. With two of Karnataka cricket's greatest sons now permanently part of the stadium's architecture, the ground felt even more significant than usual on Sunday evening.

CSK had won the toss and elected to bowl, RCB were motoring along at 151/3 for 1 after 14.1 overs with Phil Salt blazing away on 46 off 30 before Virat Kohli was dismissed for 28 by Anshul Kamboj. The Southern Derby was well and truly underway, but the evening had already given everyone present something to remember before the first six was even hit.