Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Chhetri Unhappy With ODI Being Played in Football Field in Kochi

The Kerala Cricket Association’s plans to dig up the football pitch at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi has not gone down well with the opposition. They have done it in order to accommodate the India-Windies ODI in November. Former legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and football star Sunil Chhetri expressed their disappointment at this particular issue.

“Worried about the potential damage to the FIFA approved world class football turf in Kochi. [I] urge the KCA to take the right decision where cricket (Thiruvananthapuram) and Football (Kochi) can happily co-exist. [I’ve] urged Committee of Administrators chief Vinod Rai who has promised to look into the matter. Hoping that neither the cricket nor the football fans are disappointed,” Little Master Tendulkar tweeted.

Even Chhetri wrote:

“We football fans in India have small joys and reasons to be happy about. A proper football pitch is one of them. Let’s not snatch that away, even if it’s for a little while.”

Meanwhile, Chhetri’s national teammate and Kerala Blasters’ CK Vineeth also bashed at the decision to dig up the stadium.

“The JN Stadium is one of only six in India that are FIFA approved, a certification that will take immense effort to obtain again. When India has been known for being a cricket crazy nation, is it really necessary to dig up a football pitch to play a cricket match?” Vineeth tweeted.

Former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor questioned the move of the association to dig up the pitch. He further stated that he has spoken to CoA Vinod Rai.

“He has promised to review the matter. KCA’s motive is highly suspect”, Tharoor tweeted.

Inviting all cricket fans of Thiruvananthapuram to assemble at 6.30 pm on March 24th, Saturday, at Martyrs Column, Palayam for a candlelight protest against KCA shifting the WestIndies ODI to Kochi. I'll be there! #KeepCricketInTvm #SaveKochiTurf

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 21, 2018

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