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The IPL 2025 triumph celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) soon turned into a sorrowful affair due to the stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium that reportedly claimed 11 lives and injured over 50 fans. The incident led to the resignations of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) secretary Shankar A and treasurer ES Jairam, who reportedly cited moral responsibility. The report by Justice Michael D’Cunha Commission has reportedly prompted the action against KSCA Officials, RCB representatives, and the event management firm DNA. Reports also claim that the stadium has been declared “unsafe” for large gatherings by the BCCI.
Amid such a situation, the upcoming KSCA elections are speculated to address the fallout and revamp the venue’s prestige. Former Indian cricketers Venkatesh Prasad and Shanta Rangaswamy, alongside ex-KSCA treasurer Vinay Mruthyunjaya, unveiled their manifesto for the upcoming KSCA elections on Wednesday, with the revival of the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium reportedly as their top priority. The announcement, made at a press conference in Bengaluru, comes in the wake of a tragic stampede on June 4, 2025. “We need to bring back the lost glory of the Chinnaswamy Stadium,” Venkatesh Prasad said at the press conference, observing a moment of silence for the stampede victims.
M. Chinnaswamy is an iconic venue: Venkatesh Prasad
Venkatesh Prasad, a former India pacer and KSCA vice-president from 2013 to 2016 further said, “It’s an iconic venue that has stood for over 50 years. Moving international matches out of Bengaluru is unprecedented and not a good thing.” Shanta Rangaswamy, a former India women’s captain, highlighted the neglect of women’s cricket under the current KSCA administration led by Raghuram Bhatt, whose term ends on September 30.
“We haven’t seen much women’s cricket in the last three years. Even men’s tournaments weren’t fully conducted,” she said. It is said that the manifesto also addresses the lack of domestic cricket for banks and industries, promising to revive these tournaments to strengthen Karnataka’s cricketing ecosystem.
M Chinnaswamy Stadium has hosted many memorable moments, which includes games like the ODI World Cup clashes for India against Pakistan and England, which got tied and an edge-of-the-seat thriller between India and Bangladesh in T20 World Cup 2016, where the hosts won by a single run. Emphasising on this legacy of the ground, Venkatesh Prasad also said, “India is hosting the T20 World Cup, and it would be a shame if Bengaluru misses out.” The KSCA’s failure to secure police clearance for the Women’s World Cup, despite reportedly offering reduced-capacity matches, underscores the urgency of the panel’s safety initiatives.
