Devajit Saikia Denies Reports Of India-Sri Lanka ODI Shifting From Delhi To Ahmedabad

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia on Monday dismissed reports claiming that the board had shifted the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka from New Delhi to Ahmedabad.

The match remains scheduled for December 13, and the BCCI has not announced any change of venue.

Saikia issued the clarification amid reports about the availability of Arun Jaitley Stadium.

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is undertaking major infrastructure upgrades at the ground, including installing a modern drainage system and relaying the pitches and outfield.

“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,” Saikia said.

IANS had reported on September 25 that drainage-system renovation work had forced Delhi to move its home matches in Elite Group C of the Ranji Trophy 2026–27 to the Air Force Ground in Palam.

Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium is already scheduled to host the third ODI on December 19. The second match will take place at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on December 16.

The ODI series will help India, two-time World Cup champions, fine-tune their team combinations.

The team will, however, use the series to prepare for the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Former India captain Virat Kohli was part of the team that won the 2011 World Cup on home soil. He previously told broadcaster JioStar that the 2027 tournament would be his final appearance for India at a World Cup.

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