The hype surrounding the return of Test cricket to the Cricket Club of India notwithstanding, the future of the hallowed Brabourne Stadium is still uncertain. There is every chance that the stadium may again have to wait a long time to host another international fixture.
“We have no agreement in place with CCI,” said an official of the Mumbai Cricket Association, the hosts of the December 2-6 India-Sri Lanka Test. “Yes, that’s right,” confirmed Badal Mittal, the president of the CCI.
The CCI, however, is hopeful that the MCA would prefer Brabourne Stadium for every international fixture that is allotted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
However, it is unlikely that the MCA will get to host too many international fixtures before its own Wankhede Stadium, currently under renovation, is ready.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the CCI management will give MCA 550 clubhouse seats in return for which the CCI members will be given 1000 free seats in the West Stand. Of the 550 seats, the MCA will have to give 300 seats to the BCCI.
As per the CCI bylaws, all the clubhouse seats belong to its members.
The officials were not willing to discuss the amount of rent being paid to the club but DNA has learnt that the MCA will have to shell out about Rs75 lakh for using the stadium for five days. CCI president Mittal, however, refused to comment on the financial agreement.
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