Virat Kohli is likely to miss playing at home in the first ODI against Sri Lanka
Ongoing outfield renovation at the Arun Jaitley Stadium has pushed Delhi out of contention for the fixture
The work is unlikely to finish by December and the match may move out
Virat Kohli looks set to miss a home ODI against Sri Lanka next month as the series opener is likely to move out of New Delhi. Ongoing outfield renovation at the Arun Jaitley Stadium has pushed Delhi out of contention for the match, which was originally scheduled there when the fixtures were announced in March.
The work is unlikely to finish by December. That means Kohli may not get the chance to play in front of his home crowd in the first ODI of the Sri Lanka series.
The likely shift matters beyond one fixture. The stadium overhaul has already disrupted Delhi's domestic season and could keep one of India's major venues out of action for top-flight cricket until IPL 2027.
Renovation Timeline
The outfield remains the main hurdle. The move to a sand-based surface will keep the Arun Jaitley Stadium out of cricket until IPL 2027. Earlier reports had said the Delhi & District Cricket Association planned the outfield upgrade.
India last played an ODI at the venue in October 2023. That match ended in an eight-wicket win against Afghanistan in the ODI World Cup on October 11, 2023.
"It will take around four months for the work to be completed. Mullanpur, Lucknow and nearly 75% of the venues in the country have sand-based outfields. It makes a massive difference to the drainage system and will help get the ground ready after rain without much delay," a source told The Hindu.
The source also explained the intended benefit of the change. "When the work gets completed, there will be no need to cover the entire ground in case of rain. Puddles would not form on the outfield," the source said.
Delhi Fixtures Impact
The renovation has already affected Delhi's domestic schedule. The proposed work forced Delhi to shift their Ranji Trophy home games to the Airforce Complex Ground in Palam.
After their second-round draw against Gujarat, Delhi will face Services at the heavily guarded venue from Monday.
The ground sits next to the airport. Delhi are also scheduled to host Maharashtra in the second phase of the Ranji Trophy.
BCCI Position
The board had played down relocation talk earlier. Last month, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia dismissed reports that the match could be moved to Ahmedabad because of the renovation at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
