Chinnaswamy stadium. (Photo Source: Twitter/Arun Gopalakrishnan)
Historian Ramachandra Guha raised a request to have M Chinnaswamy Stadium’s stands renamed after former cricketing stalwarts. Subsequently, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had urged the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to do the needful. The CM added that former cricketer’s Gundappa Vishwanath, Erapalli Prasanna, and Bhagwath Chandrasekhar should have stands named after them.
As it stands out, M Chinnaswamy Stadium will celebrate the golden jubilee of the first Test ever played at the venue. It is worth noting that, after Karnataka won the Ranji Trophy title in 1974, the venue was bestowed with the opportunity to host a Test match the same year. After the successful completion of 50 years of hosting much more international games, the KSCA has green signalled Guha and Karnataka CM’s requests.
Initiative ensures memories of legends are enshrined for generations: KSCA
The KSCA has decided to mark the golden jubilee by naming the stands after cricketing stalwarts which also include Syed Kirmani, Brijesh Patel, Roger Binny, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad.
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“The most befitting manner to commemorate this historic occasion is to recognise the legends who have all played pivotal roles in shaping Indian cricket and have also contributed immensely to the game and its growth in our state,” the KSCA management said in its letter, as quoted by The Times of India.
“Their remarkable contributions, both on and off the field, stand as a testament to Karnataka’s rich cricketing legacy. This initiative not only commemorates 50 glorious years of the stadium, but also ensures that the memories of these cricketing legends are enshrined for generations to come,” KSCA added.