Bad news for Virat Kohli-Rohit fans in DelhiIND vs SL 1st ODI shifted from Delhi to VisakhapatnamCheck reason.
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Bad news for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma fans in Delhi, India vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI shifted to Visakhapatnam (Photo: AFP)
Bad news for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma fans in DelhiThe fans who were waiting for months to see their favourite stars live at the Arun Jaitley Stadium will now be left disappointedThe first ODI match between India and Sri Lanka, which was to be played in Delhi, has been shifted to Visakhapatnam.
Yes, you read that rightNo match in Delhi now.
The match will still take place on the same date, 13 December 2026Same date, different venueIt will now be played in Visakhapatnam instead of Delhi at ACA-VDCA cricket stadium.
Why Was The Match Shifted From Delhi?
So, why did this happen? Let us understand in simple words.
The venue change has been made following a request from the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
The DDCA itself asked the BCCI to shift the matchAnd there are two big reasons behind it.
The first reason is Delhi’s weather in DecemberEveryone living in Delhi knows thisIn December, the fog gets very thickSometimes you cannot see even 10 meters ahead in the morningAnd on top of that, the air quality becomes very badIn such conditions, playing a full 100-over match becomes very toughThe match could have stopped again and again, and players could have faced problems too.
The second reason is renovation workThe Arun Jaitley Stadium needs repair workThe DDCA wants to start that work soonAnd when renovation is going on, you cannot host a big international match thereIt is as simple as that.
The BCCI looked at both reasons and said okay, let us shift it.
Delhi Fans Will Miss Kohli-Rohit Live Action
Now let us talk about the real lossThe loss of Delhi fans.
Delhi is Virat Kohli’s homeHis cricket journey started from hereWhenever Kohli plays in Delhi, the whole stadium shouts just one name – Kohli, Kohli, KohliFans were very excited to see him play an ODI in Delhi after a long timeMany had already told their friends, family, and office – “Take leave on 13 December, we have to go to watch the match.”
Same story for Rohit SharmaDelhi fans love Rohit’s battingHis pull shot, his sixesWatching on TV is one thing, watching live from the stadium is a completely different feeling.
Good News For Visakhapatnam Fans
Where on one side Delhi fans are sad, on the other side Visakhapatnam fans have hit the jackpot.
They will now get a chance to watch Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma live in their own cityCan you imagine the craze there now?
And to be fair, Visakhapatnam is a great venueIn December, the weather there is very goodNo fog, no pollutionThe stadium is also very beautiful, near the seaThe crowd is full of passionThe pitch is generally good for batting so fans can expect a high scoring match.
For Team India, the venue change will not make much differenceThe team will play anywhere, fans will support themBut for Delhi fans, this is definitely a big disappointmentIt was a chance to see their heroes in their own cityNow that chance is gone.
