The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to relocate the opening ODI between India and Sri Lanka, scheduled for December 13, 2026, at Arun Jaitley Stadium, according to a report by Cricbuzz journalist Vijay Tagore.
The request comes after the BCCI previously rejected speculation about shifting the fixture from Delhi to Ahmedabad. With the host association now seeking a change, the match is expected to be moved, although the BCCI has yet to confirm an alternative venue.
Delhi’s air quality drives relocation request
Concerns over Delhi’s winter pollution levels have emerged as the principal reason behind the DDCA’s request, alongside redevelopment work currently underway at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The capital recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 351 last December, with comparable readings reported on November 2. The association is particularly concerned about staging an international fixture during a period when pollution levels have historically disrupted cricket in the city.
A source familiar with the development told Cricbuzz: “More than the renovation work, we want the match to be moved because of AQI in Delhi.”
Delhi previously encountered difficulties during Sri Lanka’s Test against India in December 2017, when visiting players experienced health problems amid poor air quality.
Stadium redevelopment adds to hosting difficulties
Arun Jaitley Stadium is also undergoing substantial improvements to its playing surface, with the existing outfield being replaced by a sand-based system designed to improve drainage and prevent waterlogging.
The project is expected to take approximately three to four months, potentially keeping the venue unavailable for cricket until IPL 2027.
A DDCA source told PTI: “Pollution is a major factor and then there is renovation work going on. So we have requested the BCCI to move the game out of Delhi.”
The association has also sought another international fixture next year to compensate for the proposed relocation.
BCCI’s earlier denial faces a new development
The BCCI had previously dismissed suggestions that the December 13 ODI would be shifted to Ahmedabad, as previously reported by cricexec. At the time, the board maintained that no decision had been taken to change the venue and reiterated its established approach to allocating bilateral international matches.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said in an official statement on October 12: “Reports suggesting that the India-Sri Lanka ODI match scheduled in Delhi may be shifted to Ahmedabad are not accurate. There has been no such decision by the BCCI. We request media colleagues to kindly refer to official BCCI communications for any updates regarding the schedule. Further, it needs to be reiterated that bilateral matches are primarily allotted by following a standard policy.”
The DDCA’s subsequent request represents a significant change in circumstances, with the venue’s own administrators now asking the BCCI to reconsider the fixture’s allocation.
India–Sri Lanka series schedule awaits clarity
The December ODI series is currently scheduled to begin in Delhi on December 13, followed by matches at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on December 16 and Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on December 19.
The two teams are then scheduled to contest three T20 Internationals, with Rajkot hosting the opening match on December 22, Cuttack staging the second on December 24 and Pune hosting the final fixture on December 27.
While the remaining matches retain their existing allocations, the BCCI must now consider the DDCA’s request concerning the series opener. No replacement venue has been officially announced.
