Kochi one step closer to attain stadium exclusive to cricket after Jay Shah visits prospective site - Reports 

Kochi could soon have its very own cricket stadium following Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah's visit to the prospective allotted land for the venue, during his tour of the city for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 auctions.

Cricket matches in Kochi to date were being contested at the multi-purpose Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which is also home to the Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League (ISL).

Since 1998, a total of 10 ODIs have been played in Kochi, with the most recent one being in 2014. In recent times, cricket matches in Kerala have been held at the new Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

According to a report by the Times of India, Jay Shah visited the prospective 30-acre site, which is located along the highway only a few kilometers from the Kochi International airport. Initial signs indicate that the secretary was pleased with the land, which was identified and processed by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GDCA) through its land pooling scheme.

The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) will handle the construction of the stadium and will approach the government for further orders. KCA president Jayesh George told TOI:

"Jay Shah visited the land and he liked it as the area is well-connected via national highway and it is close to the airport. But there are some hurdles. Within the proposed area there are portions of paddy fields and wetlands."

He continued:

"For construction permission, the government has to exempt the land. Also, the area was affected by 2018 floods, so a detailed study needs to be done. Moreover, due to proximity with the airport, other restrictions related to building's height, flood lights etc need to be checked."

Jay Shah reportedly visited the site with the KCA president on his way to the hotel ahead of the IPL 2023 mini-auctions.

An international stadium meeting modern standards has been on the agenda of the KCA for quite a while now. The management is, however, yet to finalize the land, and is looking at more potential options.

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"It is confirmed that a new stadium will be constructed in Kochi" - KCA President

From Sachin Tendulkar's iconic five-wicket haul against Australia to Zimbabwe's upset over India in 2002, Kochi has presented some memories to hold onto over the years.

The construction of an international stadium will see cricket return to the city after a long interval. KCA President Jayesh George said:

"Though the land we saw is ideal we are also exploring other options. KCA will soon issue an advertisement regarding land acquisition for the project. It is confirmed that a new stadium will be constructed in Kochi and we only have to finalise the land."

The city is set to play host to the IPL mini-auction on Friday, December 23. The event is slated to begin at 2:30 PM IST with all ten franchises aiming to bolster their squad.

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