As the BCCI gets ready to finalize the schedule and fixtures for the forthcoming IPL season, it has come up that a few franchises have spoken their reservations against Mumbai Indians enjoying home advantage.
The IPL is all set to be played in Maharashtra from the last week of March. As of now, BCCI has recognized Wankhede stadium, Brabourne stadium, DY Patil stadium in Mumbai and the Gahunje stadium in Pune for the tourney. A team is expected to do a final exploration.
“None of the other teams are getting home matches. It will be unfair if MI play a lot of their matches at Wankhede, which has been their den for years. The franchises have raised this concern. The franchises don’t have an issue with Mumbai Indians play bulk of their matches at DY Patil stadium and in Pune. Even the Brabourne stadium is fine. Hopefully, the BCCI will look into the matter,” a franchise source stated.
The BCCI had assured none of the teams competed at their home venues when the first leg of previous year’s IPL was conducted in India. The franchises concur on this.
Organizing practice venues for 10 teams is going to be a cumbersome too. Reliance Cricket stadium in Navi Mumbai and the Bandra Kurla Complex facilities could be opted. Whilst there has been hypothesizing that the second half of the IPL could move to other venues due to the threat of third wave of the pandemic, BCCI is alert of the move.
“Air travel of so many teams is the biggest threat of an outbreak. BCCI doesn’t really want to take chances. The first objective is to complete the league in time in India. No one can predict when another wave may start,” a BCCI official stated.
