The Rajasthan Royals team is considering leaving Jaipur for IPL 2026. The reason cited is a long-standing dispute with the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA).
Last season, an RCA official accused the franchise of match-fixing.
Although the Royals denied this and demanded action against the official, the dispute remains unresolved. The team is now searching for a new venue, and Pune appears to be the favorite.
But the problem is that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is also eyeing Pune.
The franchise has initiated talks with the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA). According to a Cricbuzz report, Royals personnel recently visited Pune.
They inspected the Gahunje Stadium, checked hotels, looked at transportation, and evaluated logistics.
If all goes well, the Royals could host four home matches in Pune. The remaining matches will be shifted to Guwahati.
An MCA official said, “Yes, they were here to find out details about the capacity of the stadium, the nature of the pitches, and hotels in the city. Our president, Mr. Rohit Pawar, is very keen that the IPL returns to the city. He is making all possible efforts.”
RCB bets on Pune, Chinnaswamy Stadium’s troubles increase
RCB’s situation is similar. On June 4, a stampede broke out at Chinnaswamy Stadium, after which the stadium was declared unfit for matches. Now, RCB management is looking for another venue, and Pune is the top choice.
Negotiations are also ongoing with the MCA, but no final decision has been reached. The MCA is in a quandary. How should they handle both teams simultaneously?
An official told Cricbuzz, “The RCB interest is genuine, but there is no guarantee that they will relocate. Any such move will depend on a host of factors. It’s like a ‘bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’ situation for us.”
The Royals have sent a formal request to the MCA and are ready to finalize the deal immediately. RCB’s decision will depend on the Karnataka government’s statement; the stadium may be ready for re-opening closer to the IPL.
Gahunje Stadium was unable to host IPL matches after 2022, when it was a limited venue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the stadium is near the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which is a perfect location.
The BCCI will have the final say. All these factors are making IPL 2026 even more interesting.
