'Will make sure that RCB plays at Chinnaswamy' - Venkatesh Prasad assures bringing IPL back to Bengaluru

Published - 14 Nov 2025, 11:54 IST | Updated - 14 Nov 2025, 11:57 IST

Venkatesh Prasad has confirmed his candidature for contesting the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA)'s Presidential position. He is also among the frontrunners for the position, as he has the immense support and backing of legendary India cricketers like Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath, both of whom have themselves held official positions at the state association in the past.

After officially filing his nomination on November 13, Prasad has expressed his desire to revive the association from its current sorry state of affairs. The former India pacer believes that cricket has taken a backseat at KSCA, and there is more of political administration, which is stopping the growth of the sport in Karnataka.

“We are here for a purpose and for a cause. Cricket's revival is the main priority and making sure that our domestic structure gets back the way it used to be when Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath were heading the association. We have seen the decline in cricket since. The sport has taken a backseat. And now we want to revive that,” Venkatesh Prasad told reporters on Thursday afternoon.

Prasad has also assured that he will work on a roadmap to bring back cricket to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is among the most iconic cricketing venues around the country. He also wants Royal Challengers Bengaluru to resume playing their games, making amends to all that surfaced during the stampede incident on June 4, a day after the franchise lifted its maiden IPL title in Ahmedabad.

“We are going to work extremely hard to make sure that the Bengaluru team (RCB) plays at Chinnaswamy Stadium in the upcoming IPL. We would also work to bring back glory to the Chinnaswamy (Stadium) that it has lost in the recent past," Prasad added.

If reports are to be believed, RCB will be playing their home games during the 2026 season of the cash-rich event at the MCA Stadium in Pune. The Maharashtra Cricket Association officials have also confirmed that the talks are ongoing with RCB over making Pune as a potential venue for all of their home games in the upcoming season.