In a scheduling shake-up mid-season, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a swap of home venues for two Gujarat Titans (GT) versus Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fixtures in the ongoing TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, and the reason is democracy, not cricket.
The afternoon fixture between the Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings, originally scheduled to be played in Ahmedabad on April 26, will now be held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with the match starting at 3:30 PM IST.
The change has been necessitated by the municipal corporation elections in Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat scheduled on the same date.
As a direct consequence of this swap, the reverse fixture, Chennai Super Kings hosting Gujarat Titans, which was originally slated for May 21 in Chennai, will now be shifted to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with the match set to begin at 7:30 PM IST.
In essence, the two teams will simply play each other’s home games, Chennai will host what was Ahmedabad’s match, and Ahmedabad will return the favour in May.
The development means CSK fans at Chepauk will get an extra home game this season, while GT supporters in Gujarat will have to wait until late May to see their team play at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket ground.
The advisory was issued by BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia, and the board has assured that all other scheduling details for the two matches remain unchanged, with only the venues and timings adjusted accordingly.
This is not the first time elections have forced IPL rescheduling, with the board having a precedent of accommodating civic and state polls to ensure the smooth conduct of both democratic processes and cricketing events across India.
