{"id":198994,"date":"2026-08-01T11:52:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T17:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198994"},"modified":"2026-08-01T11:52:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T17:22:18","slug":"end-of-an-era-motibaug-once-baroda-crickets-heartbeat-faces-uncertain-future-after-bca-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198994","title":{"rendered":"End of an era? Motibaug, once Baroda Cricket\u2019s heartbeat, faces uncertain future after BCA move"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

For generations of Baroda cricketers, Motibaug was more than just another cricket ground. It was where careers began, and the city\u2019s cricketing identity took shape.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, that legacy was confronted with perhaps its biggest challenge yet.<\/p>\n

During the third meeting of the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA)\u2019s caretaker body, the committee reviewed expenditure on all affiliated grounds against their usage for matches and practice. According to the minutes of the meeting, it was found that the expenses on Motibaug were \u201cdisproportionately high\u201d compared to other venues.<\/p>\n

The committee also took note of what it described as the \u2018denial of entry to BCA staff and curators at the Motibaug ground over the past few days\u2019, a development that appears to have triggered a sharp administrative response.<\/p>\n

The BCA secretary has now been asked to formally communicate two major decisions to the Motibaug Club: first, the discontinuation of the club\u2019s affiliation with the BCA and, consequently, its participation in BCA tournaments across all formats; and second, to ensure cooperation for the immediate removal of all BCA-owned machinery and equipment from the venue.<\/p>\n

If implemented, the decision could effectively bring down the curtain on one of Indian cricket\u2019s most storied venues.<\/p>\n

ALSO READ: From Motibaug to Kotambi, Vadodara\u2019s cricket passion finds a new home<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the meeting, there were discussions about how we were not being able to make maximum use of the ground despite bearing significantly higher costs as part of the MoU,\u201d Ajit Lele, a member of the caretaker body, told Sportstar<\/i>.<\/p>\n

However, Lele, who was earlier the secretary of the association, said, \u201cAs far as the BCA is concerned, the doors are open for any conversation regarding the matter. . .\u201d<\/p>\n

No statements were available from the Motibaug Cricket Club at the time of publishing the story.<\/p>\n

Long before the Kotambi Stadium and Reliance Stadiums hosted matches, Motibaug was Baroda cricket\u2019s heartbeat. The ground has hosted first-class matches for decades and has witnessed the rise of some of the state\u2019s finest cricketers, from the Gaekwads to the Pathans and several others who went on to represent India.<\/p>\n

Its old-world charm, modest stands and intimate setting made it a favourite among cricket romantics. While the spotlight gradually shifted to newer facilities in Vadodara, Motibaug remained woven into the city\u2019s cricketing fabric, continuing to stage domestic matches and nurture young talent.<\/p>\n

Whether this marks a temporary standoff or the final chapter in Motibaug\u2019s association with the BCA remains to be seen.<\/p>\n

Published on Aug 01, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For generations of Baroda cricketers, Motibaug was more than just another cricket ground. It was where careers began, and the city\u2019s cricketing identity took shape. On Saturday, that legacy was confronted with perhaps its biggest challenge yet. During the third meeting of the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA)\u2019s caretaker body, the committee reviewed expenditure on all…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":198995,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-198994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/8f1e9dcf-98e8-4e5f-acb2-ef438fa6d4d71.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":193340,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=193340","url_meta":{"origin":198994,"position":0},"title":"The Yastika Bhatia handbook for a comeback: The journey to a century at Lord’s","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 14, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The year was 2011. 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