Venkatesh Prasad vows to restore Chinnaswamy's "stature" at KSCA manifesto launch ahead of elections

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 20 (ANI): With the 'Revival of KSCA' at the heart of their election campaign, former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad and women's cricket legend Shanta Rangaswamy along with Vinay Mruthyunjaya, former treasurer of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), launched their manifesto for the forthcoming elections of the erstwhile state association likely to be held between September end and November this year.

Emphasising that restoring M Chinnaswamy Stadium's glory and empowering Karnataka cricket as their top priority, Venkatesh Prasad vowed to bring back international cricket to the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium and build a vibrant, inclusive cricket ecosystem throughout Karnataka.

Speaking at the press conference on Wednesday, Prasad said, "Our endeavour will be to rebuild and strengthen relations with the Government and civic authorities to restore M Chinnaswamy Stadium as India's premier cricket venue. Bring international cricket matches back to this historic ground, reinstating its stature on the global stage."

Prasad, who previously served as vice president during Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath's regime from 2013-2016, has joined hands with the former treasurer Vinay. He emphasised that since KSCA has been functioning without an elected secretary and treasurer for close to two months now, the elections must be conducted at the earliest.

If elected, their team would pay a befitting tribute to cricketing legends by naming the Pavilion End after Anil Kumble and the Northern End after Rahul Dravid. Their team will also dedicate stands to legendary women cricketer Shanta Rangaswamy and esteemed administrator and former BCCI Secretary C Nagaraj.

A comprehensive stadium safety audit based on expert recommendations and implementing all remedial measures, transforming Chinnaswamy Stadium into a world-class, ultra-modern facility equipped with state-of-the-art technology, developing a Smart Stadium with digital ticketing, advanced crowd management, and an unparalleled fan experience are some of the salient features of their meticulously charted out manifesto that underlines their vision for cricket in the state.

The manifesto also proposes establishing a world-class cricket museum inspired by Lord's, showcasing Karnataka's rich cricket heritage through interactive exhibits, digital archives, and Virtual Reality experiences of historic moments. Launch official merchandise and memorabilia to engage and delight fans is also on the agenda.

"Our team will also work towards organising structured tournaments at all age levels, ensuring timely completion before selection cycles. Revive the prestigious YSR One Day Memorial Tournament and Group II competitions. Restore the grandeur and competitive quality of the Maharaja T20 Tournament. Facilitate reciprocal overseas tours for elite cricketers across all age groups and most importantly, the recognition of former state cricketers and benefits for their families," expressed Vinay.

Speaking about women's cricket, cricket legend Shanta Rangaswamy said, "We will launch structured leagues equivalent to men's tournaments for all age brackets and introduce inter-school and inter-college cricket tournaments to nurture young female talent. Strategic planning to elevate the stature and quality of the Maharani T20 Tournament and enable reciprocal overseas tours for elite women cricketers is also part of our manifesto."

Other features of the Manifesto include:

*Infrastructure Development Across Karnataka

-Complete major infrastructure projects at Alur, Belgaum and Hubli.

-Develop new turf grounds with signature pavilions at Hassan, Davangere, Raichur, and Gadag.

-Optimise usage of KSCA-owned lands statewide to build vital cricket infrastructure.

-Initiate the creation of a world-class stadium in Mysuru.

-Expand cricketing facilities in other key cities across Karnataka.

*Cricket Development: Men's Cricket

-Organise structured tournaments at all age levels, ensuring timely completion before selection cycles.

-Revive the prestigious YSR One Day Memorial Tournament and Group II competitions.

-Restore the grandeur and competitive quality of the Maharaja T20 Tournament.

-Facilitate reciprocal overseas tours for elite cricketers across all age groups.

-Recognition of former state cricketers and benefits for their families.

*Women's Cricket

-Launch structured leagues equivalent to men's tournaments for all age brackets.

-Introduce inter-school and inter-college cricket tournaments to nurture young female talent.

-Elevate the stature and quality of the Maharani T20 Tournament.

-Enable reciprocal overseas tours for elite women cricketers.

-Ensure women's cricketers are on par with men cricketers.

*Academy -- Nurturing Future Champions

-Revive the Karnataka Cricket Academy under the leadership of a legendary former cricketer.

-Actively involve former Karnataka cricketers as mentors and coaches.

-Establish cricket academies led by reputable former cricketers across all zones.

-Provide scholarships and support for underprivileged cricketers.

-Develop comprehensive training programs for players, umpires, scorers, physiotherapists, strength & conditioning coaches, and video analysts.

-Set up a counselling cell to help young cricketers balance education, career, media pressures, and personal growth.

*Cricket in Zones

-Promote structured competitive cricket for all age groups across every district.

-Host the majority of BCCI matches at zonal centres to decentralise opportunities.

-Schedule the Maharaja and Maharani T20 Tournaments to be played at zonal venues.

-Increase the number of turf grounds in all zones.

-Strongly encourage and support women's cricket development in all districts.

*Support for Cricket Playing Clubs

-Provide financial assistance to cricket clubs actively participating in KSCA tournaments.

-Grant complimentary tickets for Test matches and One Day Internationals organised by BCCI.

-Offer second membership to all institutional members at the Bengaluru Sports Centre.

-Implement AGM decisions regarding membership benefits at Alur, Hubli, and Belgaum venues.

*Roadmap

Immediate Initiatives

-Review ongoing investigation reports on the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede and implement remedial measures.

-Strictly adhere to safety guidelines recommended by the Judicial Commission and government agencies.

-Secure necessary permissions to resume hosting of matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

-Relaunch grassroots tournaments with clear, definitive schedules and advance planning.

Short-Term Plans

-Launch satellite academies across all zones of Karnataka to widen talent identification and training.

Long-Term Vision

-Develop M. Chinnaswamy Stadium into a future-ready, smart stadium with cutting-edge facilities.

-Pursue the construction of a world-class stadium in Mysuru and bolster cricket infrastructure at zonal centres statewide.

-Immediately leverage all KSCA-owned lands for the unbiased and effective promotion of cricket, benefiting every cricketer in Karnataka. (ANI)

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