Former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad has expressed his gratitude to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K Shivakumar on Monday. Prasad was elected as Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) president after securing a decisive victory in the KSCA elections held on Sunday. An outspoken critic of Congress, Prasad vowed to work with Shivakumar to restore Karnataka cricket to its former glorey.
“Thank you very much, sir. Your support means a lot. Together, we hope to create a vibrant, transparent and future-ready cricketing environment for Karnataka, build a stronger ecosystem for Karnataka cricket and bring world-class cricket back to Chinnaswamy," he wrote in a reply to DK Shivakumar's post.
The elections were held in the AGM at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday. The panel, led by Prasad, had the backing of former India cricketers Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath, who also served as KSCA President and Secretary from 2010 to 2013.
Prasad's appointment comes at a crucial time in Karnataka cricket. The iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been barred from hosting cricket matches after 11 people lost their lives on June 4. The Bengaluru stadium lost out on hosting the Women's World Cup and the T20 World Cup, with IPL 2026 also being a major doubt.
DK Shivakumar, Karnataka's deputy CM alos casted a vote in the KSCA Elections. Speaking to the press on Sunday, Shivakumar said that 'he won't allow' IPL games to be shifted out of Bengaluru. He added that a new stadium as alternative would be build, but it was also a question of Bengaluru and Karnataka's pride.
RCB were reportedly in talks with the Maharashtra Cricket Association, considering Pune as an alternative should Chinnaswamy not be passed fit by the time IPL kicks off.
