RCA urges BCCI to retain SMS stadium as IPL venue amid Royals' concerns

The Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) has made a fervent appeal to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to retain Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Stadium as a venue for the upcoming IPL Season 19 and has assured the BCCI, IPL, and Rajasthan Royals that "all necessary safety measures - without exception - will be implemented well in advance of the IPL, strictly in accordance with BCCI guidelines, applicable government regulations, and best international practices."

The Rajasthan Government-appointed adhoc committee, under DD Kumawat, wrote to the BCCI and IPL authorities, with copies marked to the president, secretary and IPL chairman, stating that "The RCA remains fully committed to working constructively with the Rajasthan Royals, the BCCI, and all stakeholders to resolve any concerns promptly and professionally, in the larger interest of the game."

The letter, sent to the BCCI over the last couple of days, also mentions that it will address all the concerns of the Rajasthan Royals who, as first reported by Cricbuzz on November 23, have approached the Maharashtra Cricket Association to host their home games in Pune.

"It has been brought to our attention that the Rajasthan Royals franchise has expressed certain concerns regarding infrastructure at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium and has sought consideration of alternative venues. While the importance of safety and infrastructure compliance is fully acknowledged, it is necessary to state that any technical or safety assessment of a government-owned stadium must be undertaken strictly within the established regulatory framework and in coordination with the statutory authorities.

"In this regard, the RCA was neither informed of nor associated with the third-party assessment reportedly commissioned by the franchise. The RCA wishes to state unequivocally that the Sawai Mansingh Stadium is structurally sound and operationally safe. The stadium has successfully hosted IPL matches for nearly two decades, in addition to numerous domestic and international fixtures."

It has also stated that the association has been successfully hosting the domestic games, including Vijay Hazare Trophy matches which, incidentally, are underway in Jaipur. "Most recently, Vijay Hazare Trophy matches were conducted at the venue with large spectator attendance and without any safety or security incidents, further reaffirming its readiness to host high-profile events," the RCA letter states, pointing out that about 20,000 spectators attended the Mumbai VHT games in which Rohit Sharma featured. Eight states - Mumbai, Punjab, Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim - are playing the VHT games across the state currently.

The letter goes further dwelling on the glorious history of Jaipur, SMS Stadium and the support for the Rajasthan Royals team and requests the BCCI to reinstate the Royals games of IPL 2026 to the SMS Stadium. "Jaipur has historically been, and continues to be, the home venue of the Rajasthan Royals, and the people of Rajasthan have consistently demonstrated unwavering support for the franchise. The RCA remains fully committed to working constructively with the Rajasthan Royals, the BCCI, and all stakeholders to resolve any concerns promptly and professionally, in the larger interest of the game.

"In view of the above, we respectfully request the BCCI to allocate the home matches of the Rajasthan Royals to the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, for the forthcoming IPL season. The RCA assures its complete cooperation and proactive engagement to ensure the smooth, secure, and successful conduct of IPL 2026 in Jaipur."

The BCCI and Rajasthan Royals have had multiple issues with the ad hoc committee, with the former wanting elections to the state, body as reported by Cricbuzz on December 18 and the latter miffed one of the adhoc panel accustomed the Royals team of being involved in fixing.

The RCA authorities also claim that they have not had any communication from the BCCI regarding the conduct of the election which they say are prepared to hold if the parent body insists. As for the allegations against the Royals, the association says it has barred the member who made the "false and baseless" charges.