Biggest cricket stadiums in India

By Arjit - January 6, 2021 - Last updated on Oct 08, 2022 03:56 AM

Biggest Cricket Stadiums in India

India has some of the biggest cricket stadiums in the world. India has 52 International Cricket venues, more than any other country in the world. In fact, India has 29 more International venues than the next most, England, which has only 23.

List of Indian cricket grounds by capacity

Top 10 Biggest stadiums

1)Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

The Narendra Modi Stadium, commonly known as the Motera Stadium, is a cricket stadium situated inside the Sardar Patel Sports Enclave in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. As of 2020, it is the largest cricket stadium in the world and the second largest stadium overall, with a seating capacity of 132,000 spectators. It is owned by the Gujarat Cricket Association and is a venue for Test, ODI, and T20I cricket matches.

The stadium was constructed in 1983 and was first renovated in 2006. It became the regular venue for international matches in the city. In 2015, the stadium was closed and demolished before being completely rebuilt by February 2020, with an estimated cost of ₹800 crore (US$110 million).

Apart from cricket, the stadium has hosted several programs arranged by the Government of Gujarat. It has hosted matches during the 1987, 1996, and 2011 Cricket World Cups. The pitch used to favour bowlers previously but has recently hosted competitive games. As of 2020, the stadium has hosted 12 Tests, 23 ODIs, and 1 T20Is matches.

Also Read: IND vs SA Playing 11, Pitch Report, Weather Report, And Match Preview, Dream11 Prediction

On 24 February 2021, the stadium was renamed as the Narendra Modi Stadium in honour of the current prime minister of India, Narendra Modi who is also a Gujarat native and a former chief minister. It hosted its first ever pink ball Test match on 24 February 2021 between India and England

Formerly known as the Gujarat Stadium, the ground was renamed in tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Indias first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. Before the Sardar Patel Stadium, international cricket matches in the city were played at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporations stadium of the same name (Sardar Patel Stadium) in the Navrangpura area.

In 1982, the Government of Gujarat donated a 100-acre (400,000 m2) stretch of land on the banks of the Sabarmati River to build a new stadium. The construction of the Sardar Patel Stadium was completed in nine months. Since then, all International cricket fixtures for the city are hosted here. In the 1984-85 Australia-India series, Sardar Patel Stadium hosted its first ODI, in which Australia defeated India

In October 2015, the stadium was demolished for reconstruction, though some media referred to it as a renovation. The total cost of reconstruction was estimated to be ₹700 crores.However, the final cost was reported at ₹800 crores. The redevelopment, originally planned to be completed in 2019, finished in February 2020.

The redesigned stadium occupies 63 acres of land, with three entry points compared to one in the old stadium, with a metro line at one of the entry points. It contains 76 corporate boxes that can hold 25 persons each, a 55-room clubhouse, an Olympic sized swimming pool, and four dressing rooms.

A unique feature of the stadium is the LED lights on the roof instead of the usual floodlights at cricket grounds. The LED lights are installed on an anti-bacterial, fireproof canopy with PTFE membrane that covers 30 out of 55 metres width of sitting area.

The roof was done by the company Walter P Moore and was specifically designed to be lightweight and separate from the seating bowls in order to make it fairly earthquake resistant. The structure eliminates the need for pillars and gives spectators an unobstructed view of the entire field from any place in the Stadium.

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2) Eden Gardens, Kolkata

The Eden Gardens need no introduction to a cricket fan. Established in 1864, it is the oldest and the second-largest cricket stadium in India after the newly build Sardar Patel Stadium. Its current capacity is 80,000 which was reduced from 1,00,000+ in 2011 due to construction and renovations.

Still, Eden Gardens is one of the largest cricket stadiums in India. The stadium is operated by the CAB, Cricket Association of Bengal, and is the home ground of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders.

The Eden Gardens hosted the 1987 World Cup Finals, the first Cricket World Cup Final played outside of England. It was at this ground that VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid made an iconic 376 runs partnership to defeat Australia despite their enforcing follow-on on the Indian Cricket Team. Sachin Tendulkar scored his 10,000th Test run at this venue and in November 2019, the Eden Gardens became the first venue to host Day/Night Test match in India.

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3) Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad

Formerly known as the Visakha Stadium, the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium is located in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Owned and operated by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), the stadium has a capacity of around 55000.

The ground is also the venue for the home matches of the IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The HCA, named its North Stand after VVS Laxam on his retirement from the game to honour the star from Hyderabad.

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Venue Description:

Rajiv International Stadium plays host to the Sunrisers Hyderabad. After the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) had limited access to the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium - which belonged to the Sport Authority of Telangana State - the HCA proposed to build a new stadium. Also, because of its size, the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium was considered very small to host international matches.

The HCAs proposal to build a new stadium was approved immediately by the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N.Chandrababu Naidu. There was an auction held as to who would own the ground and Visaka Industries Ltd won the bid with a total amount of Rs. 65,00,00,000.

The stadium was also named after the company. However, former Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy decided to name it in the memory of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi.

The first match here was played between India and South Africa in 2005. Since then, India have played 4 games at the venue and it is not a happy hunting ground as they have lost 3 out of the 5 ODIs played. However, India have had success in Tests, winning 2 out of the 3 games.

4) Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram

The Greenfield International Stadium or The Sports Hub, Trivandrum is a multi-purpose sporting facility in Kerala. Used mainly for Cricket and Association Football, the playing arena has been constructed in line with FIFA and ICC norms and regulations.

Built on the land leased by Kerala University the stadium is operated by the Kerala Cricket Association and Kariavattam Sports Facilities Limited (KSFL). The stadium has a capacity of around 55000 and is the first eco-friendly stadium in India.

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5) M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Formerly known as the Madras Cricket Club Ground, the stadium is popularly known as the Chepauk Stadium. Named after former BCCI President M. A. Chidambaram, the Chepauk Stadium is owned and operated by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. It has a capacity of around 54000 and is the home ground of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings. Chepauk is famous for its knowledgable and appreciative crowd.

It was at this ground that India recorded its first-ever Test victory, in their 24th match against England in 1952. Saeed Anwar scored 194, record at the time against India, Sunil Gavaskar scored his 30th Test century breaking Sir Don Bradman’s record of most centuries and Virender Sehwag scored the fastest triple century in test history.

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6) JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi

The Jharkhand State Cricket Association International Cricket Stadium is situated in the Ranchi, Jharkhand. Owned and operated by the Jharkhand State Cricket Association, the stadium is the home ground of former Indian Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and has a total capacity of around 50000.

The stadium has been constructed in such a way that no shadow falls on any of the nine practice pitches before 4:45 pm, even on the shortest day of the year. With two hill stands, the stadium is the first in India to have the grassy banks as found in New Zealand and South Africa. The stadium also has an Indoor Cricket Centre having three indoor pitches and a residential complex where players can stay for training.

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Venue Description:

JSCA International Stadium Complex or formerly known as Jharkhand States Cricket Association International Cricket Stadium is situated in Ranchi. The first ODI at the ground was played between India and England on January 19, 2013. Since then, two more ODIs have been played at this ground. The stadium has also hosted six IPL games.

It is a well-planned stadium. To provide fans shade from the scorching sun, membrane roofing system has been used. When matches are played during the winter season in India, there is always a problem of long shadows leading to the Days play being called off. The builders of JSCA International Stadium Complex have constructed the stadium by keeping that problem in mind.

The stadium also boasts of Indoor Cricket center made up of three pitches. One of the interesting aspects of the stadium is that it is just a 10-minute drive from the airport. Four-lane roads provide good connectivity as well. The stadium is surrounded by the 17th century Jagannath Temple, Heavy Engineering Corporation Plant and Hatia Dam.

7) Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

Formerly known as the Ekana International Cricket Stadium, it is an international standard cricket stadium built under public-private partnership located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Owned and operated by the Ekana Sportz City, the stadium has a capacity of around 50000.

On 6th November 2018, the stadium hosted its first International match becoming the 52nd venue in India to host international cricket. In that very match (T20I) against the West Indies, Rohit Sharma became the first cricketer to score four centuries in T20Is.

In May 2019, on request of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, the BCCI allowed the Afghanistan national cricket team to use the stadium as their home venue in India.

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8) Barabati Stadium, Cuttack

The Barabati Stadium is located in Cuttack, Odisha. The stadium is owned by the Odisha Cricket Association and is also used for Association Football, field hockey, and sometimes concerts. With a viewer capacity of around 45000, the Barabati Stadium is a regular venue for One-Day Internationals. The Barabati Stadium is also an alternate venue for home matches of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders.

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Venue Description

The Barabati stadium, situated in Cuttack, Odisha, has been a host to numerous international matches and the ground is of truly rich sporting heritage. It is the home ground of the Odisha team. It has also staged IPL matches. Even football matches have been held at the stadium.

In fact, the Barabati stadium is one of the oldest grounds in India. It can be encapsulated by the fact that back in 1961, MCC had played a game here against East Zone.

The West Indies too had played a tour game in 1974-75. International cricket came to the Barabati stadium in 1982, when India beat England to clinch the ODI series 2-1. Interestingly, It was the third ODI held in this country.

In 1987, it got the chance to host a Test match between India and Sri Lanka. However, since the rain-ruined game played between India and New Zealand in 1995, Test matches have not been allotted to the stadium.

Unfortunately, due to crowd disruptions, when South Africa took on India in a T20I in October 2015, the stadium hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

One of the key factors to consider about Barabati stadium is that it is quite far away from the airport. As a result, it has come under some criticism, especially from visiting teams.

9) Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur

Also known as the New VCA Stadium, the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in India in terms of the field area. Meaning, this ground has really long boundaries. It has an 80-yard straight boundary and 85 yards square boundaries, making it one of the largest grounds in terms of the play area. The stadium has a capacity of around 45000. The VCA stadium is often hailed for its fantastic facilities. Lalit Modi once said that it was “by far the best stadium in India”.

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10) Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi

Formerly known as the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, the Arun Jaitley Stadium is the second oldest international cricket stadium still functional in India after the Eden Gardens. The stadium was renamed in memory of former Finance Minister and DDCA President Arun Jaitley.

Owned and operated by the DDCA, Delhi District Cricket Association, the stadium has a capacity of around 41000 and has played host to some of the most iconic moments in Indian Cricket history. The four stands at the stadium have been named after Bishan Singh Bedi, Mohinder Amarnath, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli by the DDCA.

It was at this ground that Anil Kumble took his famous 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan, Sunil Gavaskar equaled Don Bradman’s record of 29 test centuries and Sachin Tendulkar broke Sunil Gavaskar’s record of 34 test centuries by scoring his 35th test ton.

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11) M.Chinnaswamy Stadium Bengaluru

M Chinnaswamy stadium, lying in the heart of the state capital, continues to remain one of the biggest cricketing centres of the country. Starting off as a humble abode, the stadium has now turned out to be a marquee venue, capable of hosting some of the biggest cricket matches to be played in the country.

Home to some of the classiest match-winners of India, Chinnaswamy stadium, in its debut Test match had the honour of hosting the West Indies in 1974. The match also marked the emergence of two modern legends, Gordon Greenidge and Sir Viv Richards. Since then, the stadium has regularly hosted Tests, although its unfortunately considered as one of Indias unluckiest venues.

Bangalore hosted the final Test against Pakistan in 1987, remembered more for the minefield of a pitch and the consequent 96 from Sunil Gavaskar, one of the best ever knocks played by the little master.

The venue also hosted Sachin Tendulkars last Test as Indias captain, against South Africa in February, 2000, enabling Hansie Cronjes men complete a historic series win. Unlike traditional Indian pitches, Bangalore offers more pace and bounce and its one of the biggest reasons why overseas teams enjoy playing on this surface.

Floodlights were installed on this beautiful ground in 1996 and the first D/N match was the epic battle between India and Pakistan in the 1996 World Cup. The other much talked about match at this venue is the Titan Cup match between India and Australia in 1996.

India sneaked home by 2 wickets after local heroes, Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath, were involved in a stunning 52-run partnership for the unbroken ninth wicket. Bangalore also hosted two India matches during the 2011 World Cup, with the game against England ending in a thrilling tie. The ground is also a regular host of IPL matches, with RCB playing all their home games, in front of their most loyal and boisterous supporters. .

It is the first cricket stadium in the world to use solar panels to generate a bulk of the electricity needed to run the stadium. This has been procured as by the "Go Green" initiative of the KSCA. As of 13 January 2020 it has hosted 22 Tests, 24 ODIs and 7 T20Is.

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12) Wankhede Stadium Mumbai

In 1996, Wankhede stadium underwent an upgrade, during which, floodlights were installed to provide excellent lighting to host the day and night cricket matches. Wankhede received its second upgrade in 2010-11 before the 2011 World Cup and the ground was unavailable for domestic and international cricket until February 2011.

One of the highlights of the stadium is the suspended cantilever roofs. No beam supports on the roofs ensure better view for the spectators. The stadium has 20 elevators for North and South stands. After its renovation and installation of bucket seats the capacity of the Wankhede Stadium was reduced to around 33,000

Mumbai has played host to Test matches at three different venues - the first ever Test in India was hosted at the Bombay Gymkhana in 1933-34 against England. After the second World War, Cricket Club of Indias (CCI) Brabourne Stadium became the citys second ground. However, a dispute between the CCI and the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) over the allocation of tickets for cricket matches forced the latter to build a separate stadium.

The stadium was named after the associations president Barrister Sheshrao Krishnarao Wankhede. The initial capacity of the stadium was around 45,000. The first Test was staged in the season of 1974-75 when West Indies toured India.

Relatively younger than old-world grounds like Chepauk, Eden Gardens and Feroz Shah Kotla, the Wankhede stadium has its own fair share of unforgettable memories attached to it. It has been home to some of the greatest cricketers to have played for the country.

The wicket at the Wankhede offers help for both the pacers and spinners. Close proximity to the Arabian sea helps the swing bowlers considerably, especially during early hours of the day. However, spinners have been known to benefit during the last couple of days of a Test match as the pitch turns into a vicious turner.

Although the new ball does a bit in limited-overs cricket, the pitch tends to ease out and favour batsmen as the innings progresses. The venue provides great entertainment when it comes to T20 cricket.

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13) Sawai Mansingh Stadium Jaipur

The Sawai Mansingh Stadium is a cricket stadium in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. It was named after Sawai Man Singh II, the erstwhile ruler of the princely state of Jaipur. It is situated at one corner of the PKMB.

The stadium seats 30,000. As of July 2013, the stadium and grounds could be toured using Google Street View. As of 19 Aug 2017 it has hosted 1 Test and 19 ODIs.

The Sawai Mansingh Stadium has hosted a solitary Test match, between India and Pakistan, starting in February 1987, when Pakistan President General Zia-ul-Haq crossed the border to watch the second days play as part of his "Cricket for Peace" initiative.

The Test was notable for Younis Ahmeds return to the Test fray after an absence of over 17 years and also for Sunil Gavaskars dismissal to the first ball of the Test match, for the third time in an otherwise illustrious career.to collect

The game sputtered to a draw after the third days play was abandoned following heavy rain and a controversy over the alleged deposition of sawdust on the wicket which Pakistan objected to.

The stadiums ODI debut had kicked off with a contest between the same two sides on 2 October 1983. Fresh from their World Cup triumph, the Indians comfortably won by four wickets, sporting the same XI that won the World Cup final.

The ground has also hosted two World Cup matches in 1987 and 1996 respectively, the West Indians losing to England in the former and beating Australia in the latter.

The last ODI played on the ground is between India and Australia in October 2013 which they won comfortably by just losing one wicket chasing 362 in just 43.3 overs although it was a disgustingly flat wicket which provided nothing for the bowlers in the slightest.

In 2006, the stadium underwent a major renovation at a cost of Rs 400 crore.A world-class cricket academy was built for Rs 7 crore, which has 28 appointed rooms, a gym, a restaurant, 2 conference halls and a swimming pool.

The first ODI, played at Sawai Mansingh stadium, kicked off with a contest between India and Pakistan in 1983, in which, India won by four wickets. The 1987 Test between India and Pakistan proved to be an instrument of peace, when Pakistan President General Zia-ul-Haq came over to witness the second days play as part of his "Cricket for Peace" initiative.

The game, which saw Sunil Gavaskar being dismissed to the first ball of a Test match for the third time in his career, ended in a draw amid a controversy over the alleged deposition of sawdust on the wicket that Pakistan objected.

Sawai Mansingh Stadium has hosted IPL matches for Rajasthan Royals its local team and who won first season.

Royals have been deprived of their home advantage because of the inability of the Rajasthan Cricket Association to acquire requisite state government clearances.

After announcement of shifting of some Indian Premier League matches in Maharashtra due to a severe drought situation in 2016, the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians opted for this stadium as its home ground as a substitution for Wankhede Stadium in Mumba

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14) PCA Stadium Mohali

The Punjab Cricket Association Inderjit Singh Bindra Stadium is a cricket ground located in Mohali, Punjab. Back in 1992, builders in Mohali transformed what was basically a swampland into one of the finest stadiums in the country which came to be known as The Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.

It is located on the outskirts of Chandigarh. It is a world-class stadium, known for high-quality practice wickets and good spectator facilities. However, there have been a few problems with floodlights as the pillars are relatively low in height. It has been built in such a way to avoid planes from the nearby airport crashing with the pillars.

The first ever international match at the ground was an ODI played between India and South Africa in the Hero Cup in November, 1993. In 1994, the ground then went on to host its first Test match between India and the West Indies. Since then, it has been host to many international games, across all three formats. It is the home ground for Kings XI Punjab in IPL.

When India took on the West Indies in a Test match back in 1994, the wicket was lightening fast. The Windies pacers took advantage of it to thump India by 243 runs. Even when Australia played the Caribbean outfit in the 1996 World Cup, the wicket offered good carry and bounce for the pacers.

However, since then, it has slowed down and has turned out to be a good wicket for batting. Even scores of over 180 have been chased down in the history IPL at the ground.

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