Finally some good news for one of the most popular franchises in the cash-rich Indian Premier League - Rajasthan Royals (RR). The decisions taken during Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) SGM on December 11 has brought some relief to the Royals camp whose search for the home venue has come to end. If the reports are to be believed, the Royals could well play its home fixtures at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
The iconic stadium in the capital city of Rajasthan was the local base for Rajasthan from 2008 to 2013. But after the suspension of Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), the BCCI instructed Royals to shift their base to Ahmedabad. The Rajasthan unit (RCA) was suspended in May 2014 after Lalit Modi, who had been removed as IPL commissioner, was re-elected president of the state body.
During the Special General Meeting, the Indian cricket Board lifted a four-year suspension on the Rajasthan Cricket Association, ending a feud that has hit the state teams’ development. With this decision, there is a strong possibility that the Royals will return to its old fortress this time around. On Thursday, top officials of Rajasthan Royals – Ranjit Barthakur and Rajiv Khanna – and officials of IMG visited the Sawai Mansingh Stadium to take stock of things.
Earlier this year in July, the BCCI welcomed back - Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) after the ban on the respective owners of the franchises of being involved in illegal activities and betting. Both the team served a two-year suspension and are now allowed to resume their services in the 11th edition of the IPL in 2018.
Following the ban imposed on them in 2015, the two teams did not play in the IPL tournaments in 2016 and 2017. Their places by new entrants - Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions.
As per the sources, the Royals bosses also met Rajasthan sports minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar. "The minister welcomed us back to Jaipur. We would also want it that way, now it's up to the BCCI to decide," as quoted by Sportstarlive.com.
However, no final decision has been taken in this context so far. The board is likely to give its verdict by next week on this matter.
