Jodhpur may become new IPL venue this season

JODHPUR’s Barkatullah Khan Stadium might be added as a new venue for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. It is learnt that top officials of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) have orally expressed their desire to host a few IPL games there to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium is the home for IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals and with the upcoming season to be played on the home-and-away format again, the association wants to have a few games at the new venue.
The Indian board, however, will send a team to assess the venue and submit its report to the IPL Governing Council, who will ask the RCA whether IPL games can be held at Jodhpur or not.
“It’s a verbal request. We have been told that RCA has rejuvenated the stadium, and have asked us if we can consider Jodhpur as a new venue for a few IPL games. The board will take a call on it only after the recce team submits its report,” a source in the BCCI confirmed.
To host an IPL game, the association has to provide certain basic facilities at each venue. However, BCCI’s major concern for the Jodhpur ground is the boundary size, which they feel is not up to the required dance.
The RCA had staged a few first-class games at Jodhpur this season. Ranji Trophy games were played at the venue after a gap of nearly two decades, when Rajasthan hosted Chhattisgarh and Services. The stadium has a capacity of 30,000 and was a venue for Legends League Cricket last year which was played under lights and attracted a packed house for veteran games.

The IPL will be a 10-team affair this season and each state association will get at least nine home games post the Covid-19 pandemic.