The stadium has been named as Arun Jaitley Stadium. The ground will continue to be called the Feroz Shah Kotla, explain DDCA.
Harpal Singh Bedi / New Delhi
The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) on Tuesday announced that the Feroz Shah Kotla cricket stadium will be renamed after late Arun Jaitley. it was during, Jaitley’s tenure as DDCA’s president (from 1999 to 2013 ) that this modern and world-class cricket stadium was built.
The ceremony to rename the historic stadium will be done on September 12 while a stand will also be named after India skipper Virat Kohli.
DDCA took to Twitter to announce the same: “Kotla to be renamed as Arun Jaitley Stadium. The renaming of Delhi’s famous cricket venue as Arun Jaitley Stadium will take place on September 12 at a function where a Stand of the ground will be named after India captain Virat Kohli.”
According to DDCA president Rajat Sharma “It was Arun Jaitley’s support and encouragement that players like Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Ashish Nehra, Rishabh Pant and many others could make India proud.” adding “What can be better to have the stadium named after the man who rebuilt it under his presidentship,” .
Earlier, in a letter to the Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal, BJP MP and former India opener Gautam Gambhir had on Monday said the Yamuna Sports Complex should be renamed after Jaitley for his contribution to nation building and for his love for cricket.
“May he remain in our hearts forever. As a mark of respect to our beloved leader, I hereby propose to rename ‘Yamuna Sports Complex’ as ‘Arun Jaitley Sports Complex,” Gambhir had said in a tweet, while posting a copy of his letter to the Lt. Governor.
Former Union Minister Jaitley passed away on August 24 after prolonged illness. BCCI administrators as well as cricketers took to social media to condole the demise. In fact, the Indian team had also worn black armbands as a mark of respect for Jaitley during the third day’s play of the first Test between India and West Indies.