BCCI shifts two Chhattisgarh Ranji Trophy matches out of Raipur

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has relocated two Chhattisgarh home fixtures in the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy Elite after the National Green Tribunal's restraint order left the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur unavailable for domestic cricket. The BCCI confirmed the venue changes ahead of the upcoming round of matches.

The first match to be moved is the Chhattisgarh versus Andhra fixture, originally scheduled for October 26-29 in Raipur. That game has been shifted to the Devineni Venkata Ramana Praneetha Ground at Mulapadu, near Vijayawada, making it a neutral venue hosted by the Andhra Cricket Association. The second fixture, Chhattisgarh versus Hyderabad, set to begin November 2, will now be held at the Gymkhana Ground in Hyderabad. A Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh official explained the dual reasons behind the decision.

"There are a couple of reasons for shifting the matches. We have undertaken renovation work at the ground and, of course, there is an NGT order. That is why we are unable to host the games," the CSCS official stated as quoted by Cricbuzz.

As things stand, Chhattisgarh are placed fifth in Group B of the Ranji Trophy Elite, having managed one win from four fixtures with two losses in the 2026-27 season.

Why did the NGT restrain the Raipur stadium?

The National Green Tribunal passed its order on July 2, 2026, restraining sports activities at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur. The tribunal cited the stadium's repeated failure to furnish required responses regarding sustainable water management and groundwater conservation as the basis for its directive. The Raipur venue had been found to be drawing approximately 828 kilolitres of groundwater per day for maintaining the cricket ground, a figure that drew the tribunal's scrutiny.

The same July 2 order also restrained sports activities at two other venues, the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur and the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. The NGT did, however, grant a limited exemption for Raipur in October 2026, permitting the stadium to host three women's T20 Internationals between India and Zimbabwe on October 16, 18 and 20, subject to a deposit of Rs 20 lakh with the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board. The next NGT hearing concerning the stadium is scheduled for December 2026.

What is the current administrative status of the Raipur stadium?

The Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh took over management of the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in January 2026, exercising a renewal option on a 30-year lease from the Chhattisgarh State Government. The CSCS assumed control of the New Raipur facility with plans for its continued use as a premier cricket venue in the region.

Before the NGT restrictions took full effect on domestic cricket, the stadium had hosted an India versus New Zealand T20 International on January 23, 2026, and also staged Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL matches in May 2026. The venue had previously hosted international fixtures against teams including Australia, South Africa and New Zealand across various formats. A Chhattisgarh versus Tripura Ranji Trophy fixture is listed for February 2027, though the venue situation for that home game remains unresolved pending the outcome of the December NGT hearing.