Ranji Trophy 2026 – Hubballi to host Ranji final; Chinnaswamy not yet ready

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The M Chinnaswamy Stadium will not host top-flight cricket just yet, despite securing all necessary state government clearances, after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on Thursday allotted the Ranji Trophy final, starting February 24, to Hubballi instead.

ESPNcricinfo understands the KSCA had the option of hosting the fixture between Karnataka and Jammu & Kashmir either in Bengaluru or Hubballi.

However, ongoing infrastructure and safety enhancement measures at the Chinnaswamy, in line with the recommendations of an expert committee formed by the home ministry, is believed to have been one of the major considerations for shifting the match.

“Several spectator gates and access points are currently being dismantled and widened, along with other critical improvement works,” a KSCA spokesperson said. “In view of these ongoing developments, it would not have been feasible to ensure the high-quality match-viewing experience and spectator convenience a marquee fixture such as a Ranji final deserves.”

Karnataka, the eight-time champions, are looking to win their first Ranji crown since the 2014-15 season. On Thursday, they confirmed their entry into the final after beating first-timers Uttarakhand on the basis of a first-innings lead in Lucknow.

Jammu & Kashmir, meanwhile, have entered their first final, 67 years after they received BCCI affiliation and first played in the competition. They got there after beating Bengal in a thrilling semi-final in Kalyani, despite conceding the lead.

Karnataka have made 15 previous finals and have beaten Jammu & Kashmir on each of the four occasions the two sides have met; the most-recent fixture was in Chennai in 2022. Hubballi has so far hosted one game this season, where Karnataka beat Chandigarh by 185 runs.



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