RCB cancel practice, press meet after threat to Virat Kohli's security following 4 arrests on terror suspicion: Report

IPL 2024 match between RR and RCB: The RCB called off their practise session due to a possible threat to Virat Kohli’s safety, as four individuals were detained on terror-related charges.

The only practise session Royal Challengers Bengaluru had before the IPL 2024 Eliminator against the Rajasthan Royals was called off for security reasons. In order to get ready for the knockout game, RCB was supposed to practice at the Gujarat College field in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

However, the team decided to call off the practice without providing an official explanation. In contrast, the Rajasthan Royals used the same location for their routine nets practice. It is unusual for there to be no press conference on the eve of a crucial IPL knockout match.

The Narendra Modi Stadium, the Gujarat Cricket Association’s primary offering, was unavailable on Tuesday for RR and RCB due to the IPL Qualifier 1 between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The Gujarat College ground was given as an alternative to RCB .

Gujarat Police officials were cited by the Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika to imply that Virat Kohli’s security was the main reason why the Royal Challengers of Bengal cancelled their practise session and neither team held a press conference.

On Monday night, the Gujarat Police detained four men from the Ahmedabad airport on charges of engaging in terrorist activities. When the police searched the four accused people’ hideout, they purportedly found weapons, dubious videos, and text messages.

RR and RCB were also informed of the information. While RR remained silent, RCB let the security staff know that there wouldn’t be a practice session. According to the report, RCB abruptly decided to call off the practise session and gave no formal explanation.

On Monday, both RR and RCB touched down in Ahmedabad. They had Sunday and Monday off to recover. The night before a crucial game, such as an IPL Eliminator, shouldn’t be spent doing at least some drills.

“Virat Kohli learned about the arrests after arriving in Ahmedabad. He is a national treasure, and his security is our utmost priority,” said Vijay Singha Jwala, a police officer. “RCB did not want to take a risk. They informed us that there would be no practice session. Rajasthan Royals were also informed about the development, but they had no problems going ahead with their practice.”

RR vs RCB: Security tightened outside team hotels in Ahmedabad

Guards were stepped up outside the RCB team hotel. All members of the RCB team had their own entry that was off limits to other hotel visitors. The hotel premises were off-limits to even media personnel accredited by the Indian Premier League.

The RR team used the “green corridor” to get to the ground, the report stated. Their team bus was escorted by three police convoys. Sanju Samson, the captain, was late. Yuzvendra Chahal, Riyan Parag, and Ravichandran Ashwin made the decision to stay at the hotel instead of attending the practise. Strict security surrounded the RR players who were taking part in the training.

The whole area was manned by police officers.The security concerns forced the RR and RCB team management to cancel the pre-match press conference.

RR missed a top-two finish after losing four matches on the trot. Their last league match against KKR was a washout, allowing SRH to pip them for the second spot.

RCB, meanwhile, scripted a comeback for the ages. They won six matches on the bounce, that too by good margins, to sneak into the playoffs. They beat Chennai Super Kings in their last match to knock the five-time champions out of the tournament.

The police conducted elaborate searches on the hideouts of the suspected terrorists and recovered arms, suspicious videos and text messages.

According to the report, both Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru management were informed about the terror threat. While RR chose to proceed with its practice session at the Gujarat College ground, the RCB management decided to cancel it.