Rajasthan Royals mull Pune shift for IPL 2026

Will the Rajasthan Royals relocate to another state for the next IPL season? Indications suggest a shift is in the offing, though nothing is final yet. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will have the final say, the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) must first confirm its readiness to host the franchise.

Cricbuzz, however, can reveal that the Rajasthan Royals management has begun exploring options for a new base, with their search reaching the MCA Stadium in Gahunje, Pune. Preliminary discussions have already been held between the MCA and RR officials.

An operations team from the franchise was recently in Pune to assess the stadium, hotel options, airport connectivity and other logistical aspects. The reason for the Royals' push to relocate is because of apparent issues with the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA). The situation escalated last season when an RCA official accused the team of match-fixing - an allegation the Royals strongly denied, demanding strict action against the individual.

Should the Gahunje stadium, located close to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, be finalised, RR will play at least four home games in the city, with the remaining three expected to be staged in Guwahati.

"Yes, they were here to find out details about the capacity of the stadium, the nature of the pitches and hotels in the city," an MCA official told this website, adding, "Our president, Mr. Rohit Pawar, is very keen that the IPL returns to the city. He is making all possible efforts."

The MCA Stadium has not played host to the IPL for the last three seasons. An IPL game was last played at the venue in 2022 when the tournament was played in only three venues across Mumbai and Pune, apart from the Playoffs, held in Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

Status of RCB approach

The Royals' interest comes in the backdrop of reported approaches by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) management to stage their home games elsewhere, as the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been deemed out of bounds for the franchise following the catastrophic June 4 stampede.

As of now, it is understood that the MCA is weighing its options. "The RCB interest is genuine, but there is no guarantee that they will relocate. Any such move will depend on a host of factors," said the MCA official, explaining the situation with the defending champions.

The MCA faces a dilemma: to accept the Royals' proposal - the franchise has already sent an email seeking approval - or wait to hear from RCB. There remains the possibility that the Karnataka State Government, which has so far steadfastly declined permission for matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium, may change its stance closer to the IPL.

Besides, the RCB functionaries are believed to have sought time till at least the IPL auction next month, even as the Royals are willing to lock in an agreement. "It's like 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' situation for us," the official said.

At this stage, the MCA seems inclined towards the RR option but, as the official said, they don't want to count their chickens before they hatch. Cricbuzz has reached out to the spokesman of Rajasthan Royals.