Sachin Tendulkar joins chorus opposing Kerala Cricket Association's plans to host West Indies ODI in Kochi

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid mounting opposition over the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA)’s plans to host the India-Windies ODI in November at Kochi, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar said hosting the match could damage the FIFA approved world class Football turf. He batted for Thiruvananthapuram to host the one-day international cricket match between India and Windies on 1 November instead of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi, which was last used for the U-17 Football WorldCup. “Worried about the potential damage to the FIFA approved world class Football turf in Kochi. Urge the KCA to take the right decision where cricket (Thiruvananthapuram) and Football (Kochi) can happily co-exist, he tweeted.

Worried about the potential damage to the FIFA approved World class Football turf in Kochi. Urge the KCA to take the right decision where cricket (Thiruvananthapuram) and Football (Kochi) can happily coexist. pic.twitter.com/rs5eZmhFDP

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 20, 2018

Tendulkar said he has taken up the matter with the cricket board BCCI. Urged Shri Vinod Rai (chief of committee of administrators) who has promised to look into the matter. Hoping that neither the cricket nor the football fans are disappointed, he said. Kerala Football Association and footballlovers in the state have expressed concern over the move by the KCA to host the cricket match at the Kochi stadium, which is also home to the Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters FC, co-owned by Tendulkar. They raised apprehension that hosting a cricket match on 1 November in the stadium would damage the world class football turf and affect the ISL season that normally begins in October every year and lasts for around four months. The KCA made the move to host the ODI in Kochi stadium after the BCCI decision to award it the right to host the ODI. Earlier in the day, former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor has said the association’s move was ‘suspect’. Tharoor, Thiruvananthapuram MP, said he has already spoken to Committee Of Administrators Chief Vinod Rai against the KCA’s “bizarre” decision to transfer a ODI match from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi, whose ground was last used for the U-17 Football WorldCup. “He has promised to review the matter. KCA’s motive is highly suspect”, Tharoor had tweeted. In another tweet, the local MP thanked everyone for the outpouring of support for his firm opposition to KCA’s shifting the ODI to Kochi. “Turf laid for top-class football would have to be dug up, while a cricket-ready SportsHub stadium in Trivandrum, the best in India, lies idle. Who gains from this suspect decision?’, he asked in the tweet. Kerala Blasters team member Iain Hume expressed his dismay over the move saying it was upsetting. “I understand there is lot of cricket in India. But I also understand that there is lot of football in Kerala”. Another Blasters key player CK Vineeth said the Jawaharlal Stadium in Kochi is one of six in India that are approved by FIFA, a certification that will take immense effort to obtain again.

The JN Stadium is one of only six in India that are FIFA approved,a certification that will take immense effort to obtain again. When India has been known for being a 'cricket crazy' nation, is it really necessary to dig up a football pitch to play a cricket match? #SaveKochiTurf

— CK Vineeth (@ckvineeth) March 19, 2018

More from First Cricket News

Rajasthan Royals reportedly set to reunite with former head coach after Dravid's exit; Samson set to remain captain Pakistan vs Oman Live Score Streaming, Asia Cup 2025 T20 Match 4: When and Where to Watch PAK vs OMA today match Streaming and telecast?

Veteran footballers IM Vijayan and CV Pappachan have also come out against the move.