Bengaluru, Aug 20 (PTI) Bring cricket back to Chinnaswamy Stadium was the dominant theme of an august function where former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad took the first solid step towards contesting in the upcoming KSCA elections by releasing the manifesto of his panel on Wednesday.
After the June 4 stampede here in which 11 Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans lost their lives, no matches have taken place at this iconic venue which is now at the risk of losing next month’s ICC Women’s World Cup matches. “That's something that shouldn't have happened, (stampede) honestly. We have to be very proactive in liaisoning with the (state) government. We have to ensure that matches are played in Chinnaswamy Stadium as soon as possible,” said Prasad during a press conference here after revealing the manifesto.
Prasad hinted that his panel of contestants will have 16 members, even though he refrained from naming them at this juncture.
The KSCA elections can be held in October or November as the incumbent regime headed by Raghuram Bhat will complete its three-year term on September 30.
“We need to bring back the lost glory as far as the stadium is concerned. We would like to bring back international cricket. We have seen that every international match has been moved out of Bangalore.
“It’s such an iconic venue — Chinnaswamy Stadium which has been standing for the last 50 years. This is something which has never happened where the international matches have been moved out. It is not a good thing,” added Prasad.
Prasad and his fellow panelist Vinay Mruthyunjaya know that the road ahead, provided they are elected, is not easy, and they have certain plans to revive cricket in a stadium that has seen some memorable moments in the past.
One of the main points in the manifesto is refurbishing the Chinnaswamy and transforming it into a smart stadium.
“As a long term strategy, we want to develop the Chinnaswamy Stadium into a future ready smart stadium with cutting edge facilities. Also, we want to set up another world class stadium in Mysuru,” said Mruthyunjaya.
Increasing the capacity of the venue from the current 35,000 to at least 50,000 too is an aspect high on the minds of the aspiring panelists.
“There will be no compromise as far as the safety of the fans or the spectators is concerned. I am sure we cannot take it to 80,000 or something like that.
“So probably another 15,000 more, maybe up to 50,000, now it is 34,000-35,000. We need to work on that along with architects,” said Prasad.
Both Prasad and Mruthyunjaya are not unfamiliar to administration as they were vice-president and treasurer respectively during the administration headed by Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath.
So, what has prompted Prasad, who since then turned into coaching and media world, to return to the administration? “Vinay and Santosh (Menon) came to me regarding the upcoming elections and discussed what we can do (to restore cricket) if we come back to power. So, I always had this thought in my mind about getting into administration at some point of time.
“So, that's the whole purpose for us to be here, to release a manifesto and what this team is going to achieve. If we get into power, you've all gone through the manifesto, and in terms of what we are going to do for men's cricket because that's not something which has not happened.
“There's no structure with men's cricket or women's cricket (in Karnataka) or even for the banks and industries. Those matches have not happened in the last few years, and not just watching international matches,” he detailed.
Former India women’s captain Shanta Rangaswamy too attended the function and she stressed the need to revive women’s cricket in the state.
“We haven't seen much of women's cricket in the last three years. I'm told, subject to correction, that even men's cricket took a backseat because even their tournaments were not conducted in full. So, we want to launch structured (women) leagues equivalent to men's tournaments for all age groups,” said Rangaswamy.
During the press meet, Prasad was also asked about his opinion on India’s upcoming match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
The former pacer, who had several unforgettable on field memories against the arch-rivals, said a correct route will be decided by the BCCI.
“As far as I know, bilateral (matches) are going to be and it's a huge issue. I'm with the BCCI when it takes a stand.
“Whatever stand they take, I'm sure they're taking it in the interest of the citizens of the country. So, if they are taking a decision, so be it,” he said.
This report includes content sourced from Press Trust of India (PTI), edited for clarity and context.
