Virat Kohli’s much-anticipated return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy is set to take place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, a venue synonymous with his IPL journey at Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, fans may be left disappointed, as the matches featuring Delhi are likely to be held behind closed doors following intervention from the Karnataka government.

According to reports, the state government is preparing to issue a directive to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), denying public entry for the fixtures. The move comes amid heightened safety concerns, with the Chinnaswamy Stadium remaining under scrutiny after a tragic stampede during RCB’s IPL 2025 trophy parade claimed 11 lives.

As per ESPNcricinfo, the government is keen to avoid any risk of crowd-related incidents during the holiday season, especially with high-profile players such as Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant expected to take the field. The presence of multiple star cricketers is believed to have further amplified security concerns.

Security concerns force rethink at Chinnaswamy stadium

Earlier, the KSCA had shifted Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy matches from Alur to the Chinnaswamy Stadium to ease logistical challenges arising from the arrival of marquee players. Kohli and Pant reached Bengaluru on Monday night, further fuelling fan excitement.

However, the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) has reportedly been identified as a backup venue should police clearance fail to arrive for hosting the matches at the Chinnaswamy.

The KSCA had initially proposed opening two stands to allow 2,000–3,000 spectators, but the plan was rejected by the state government citing security risks and compliance issues. Following the association’s request, a government-appointed committee comprising officials from the police, public works department and fire safety conducted an inspection of the stadium on Monday.

The committee is expected to submit its report on Tuesday, with a formal decision likely to confirm matches being staged without spectators. The caution stems from findings of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission, which investigated the stampede during RCB’s IPL title celebrations earlier this year and declared the stadium “unfit for large-scale events.”

Since the June tragedy, the Chinnaswamy Stadium has not hosted any top-tier cricket. The KSCA Maharaja Trophy was shifted to Mysore in August, underlining the continued restrictions placed on the iconic venue.

Also Read: Pat Cummins, Lyon out, yet Australia still poised to crush England 5–0