Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah asks KSCA to name stands at Chinnaswamy Stadium after former greats

In a move to recognise the contributions of Karnataka's cricketing stalwarts, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has urged the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to rename the stands at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium. He mentioned that the stands should be named after Gundappa Viswanath, Erapalli Prasanna, and Bhagwath Chandrasekhar.

The Chief Minister's suggestion comes after noted historian and writer Ramachandra Guha appealed to him to ask the KSCA to name the stands after these "great cricketers and human beings, who have nobly upheld the spirit of the game on and off the field," Guha wrote in a letter on March 29.

Siddaramaiah, in his letter to KSCA President Raghuram Bhat A., highlighted that while other major cricket stadiums in the country have stands named after their local heroes, the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru does not currently honor any of Karnataka's cricketing legends.

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Will inspire and encourage the upcoming cricketers of the state: Siddaramaiah 

Emphasising the need to inspire and encourage upcoming cricketers from the state, Siddaramaiah wrote, “I request you to consider naming the stands after G.R. Vishwanath, E.A.S. Prasanna, and B.S. Chandrasekhar, which will inspire and encourage the upcoming cricketers of the state.”

He noted that in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata, the main cricket stadiums have stands named after their illustrious players, and Bengaluru should also follow the same ritual in recognizing the contributions of its cricketing greats.

Also read: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Bangalore: History, Pitch Report, Stands, Stats & Trivia

Vishwanath, Prasanna, and Chandrasekhar are widely regarded as some of the finest cricketers to have hailed from Karnataka. Vishwanath, known for his elegant batting style, represented India in 91 Test matches and captained the national team.

Prasanna and Chandrasekhar, both spin bowlers, played crucial roles in India's success during the 1960s and 1970s, they both shared a total of 431 Test wickets among them and formed a formidable group of spinners along with the legendary Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and late Bishan Singh Bedi.