IPL 2018: Uncertainty Looms Over Rajasthan Royals Home Venue

After serving a two-year ban, Rajasthan based franchisee Rajasthan Royals will finally return to action in IPL 2018 which will commence April. Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings were suspended for two years because of a match-fixing scandal involving their owners. Both the teams will now return, but the problems are far from over for the Royals as they are yet to identify their home venue for the upcoming IPL season.

Sawai Mansingh stadium was Royals home venue before the ground was suspended from hosting any matches which involve BCCI and now the IPL governing body will meet on Monday to discuss the possible options. A decision on Kings XI Punjab’s home venue will also be finalised in the same meeting.

A small group of BCCI administrators have raised a question over the functioning of the Rajasthan state cricket board as the board recently revoked the suspension of the state body. A section of the BCCI is backing Lucknow to host Rajasthan’s home matches.

A BCCI official told Times of India:

“The Rajasthan High Court had directed to RCA to hold general body meeting to implement the clauses put in by BCCI to revoke the suspension and allow elected administrators to resume functioning. They have held an emergent general meeting and done the required. The next hearing, where RCA will put up its final submission, is on January 24.” 

The official also stated that it would be unfair to pull matches out of Jaipur:

“BCCI can’t let go of the home grounds of the franchises. There has to be a connect with the name of the franchise. Jaipur has seen good crowds all these years. The Rajasthan government too has been very supportive and has looked after BCCI’s concerns during RCA’s suspension period too. It will be unfair if all the matches are moved out of Jaipur.”

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