Virat Kohli's Chinnaswamy Stadium Return Postponed as Matches Move to CoE

• Police deny permission for matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium due to safety concerns.
• Seven Vijay Hazare Trophy games shifted to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, including Delhi’s fixtures.
• Matches to be held behind closed doors with no spectators allowed.

Virat Kohli’s much-awaited return to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been postponed after Bengaluru city police declined permission to host seven Group D Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at the venue. As a result, the fixtures, including Delhi’s matches featuring Kohli, have been shifted to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) on the outskirts of the city.

The decision came after a high-level inspection of the stadium by a committee comprising officials from the police, public works, fire and emergency services, and the health department. The panel submitted its findings to the Greater Bengaluru Authority and later discussed safety requirements with Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials. These discussions focused on implementing recommendations made by the Justice Michael Cunha Commission.

With approval unlikely, KSCA had already lined up the CoE as a backup option. Once talks with authorities failed, the venue change was finalized quickly, and teams were informed to begin preparations at the new location.

The move ends weeks of uncertainty around Kohli’s return to Chinnaswamy, his first since the tragic stampede during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations in June, which resulted in 11 deaths. Following that incident, several senior police officers were suspended, making authorities cautious about large gatherings at the stadium.

KSCA said it respects the decision and thanked the Karnataka government for reviewing the request. A police official noted that the department did not want to risk a repeat of past incidents.

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Kohli joined the Delhi squad for net practice at the CoE on Tuesday, training alongside Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma, and others. This marked his first visit to the facility. The matches will be played on Grounds One and Two, without spectators.

With India set to play multiple ODIs ahead of the 2027 World Cup, the games will help Kohli stay match-ready before the New Zealand series starting January 11.