CSK matches in Chennai shifted; Pune new venue

The BCCI has decided not to take any chances and shift all IPL 2018 matches out of Chennai over security concerns. These concerns were ignited by massive protests outside the MA Chidambram Stadium when Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders took the field on Tuesday.

Not only was the toss delayed by 13 minutes as match officials found it difficult to enter the stadium, there were also stray cases of CSK fans being asked to take off their yellow jerseys. Shoes were also hurled at Faf du Plessis and Ravindra Jadeja.

The BCCI had short-listed four cities to host CSK’s home matches – Visakhapatnam, Trivandrum, Pune and Rajkot. Late evening reports cited IPL chairperson Rajeev Shukla as saying that CSK will be asked to move their home matches to Pune.

One media report said that Ranchi, CSK skipper M S Dhoni’s home town, is also in contention.

CSK is making a comeback into the league after serving a two-year suspension on charges of spot-fixing in 2013.

There will, however, be no change in schedule for the matches. At home, CSK were to take on Rajasthan Royals on April 20 before playing defending Mumbai Indians on April 28. Then Delhi Daredevils were scheduled to come to Chennai for a match on April 30. CSK were scheduled to play Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chepauk on May 5 before taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 13 and Kings XI Punjab on May 20.

Fringe political parties in TN had been pressing the BCCI to move this year's IPL matches out of Chennai due to the water shortage in the state and also over delays in setting up the Cauvery Water Management Board.