IPL - 2010 Venues
DY Patil Stadium (Mumbai)
Built in 2008
It is considered as the sixth best cricket stadium in the world. It’s state-of-the-art facility impressed Rahul Dravid so much that he wishes to play at least one ODI before he retires. Apart from its magnificent design, thanks to architect Hafeez Contractor, a lot of care has gone into making the ground. About 200 tonnes of soil was especially air-lifted from South Africa to prepare the ground. It has one of the liveliest tracks in the country, which helps fast bowlers to extract good bounce. Its well-trimmed and lush green outfield is lightening fast. Situated about 50 km away from the city of Mumbai, it has seating capacity of 55,000, which makes it the second largest stadium in the country after Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad
Built in 1982
Sardar Patel Stadium is situated at Motera in the outskirts of Ahmedabad. It has a capacity of about 48,000 spectators.
The last Test played on the venue (Apr, 2008) is something that India will like to forget in a hurry. The Proteas pace attack of Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morni Morkel had bundled out India for an embarrassing 76 in the first innings.
The wicket offered uneven bounce, which the speedsters exploited to the hilt. It eased down after Day-one as South Africa piled on 494 in the first innings, which was followed by India’s 328. Though this track has a history of favouring the spinners, in that match the South African fast bowlers stole the show by picking up 18 wickets and registering an innings victory over the hosts.
Overall, Harbhajan Singh is the second highest wicket-taker on this track with 26 scalps, 10 behind Kumble. Harbhajan feasted on the Lankan batsmen in the 2005 Test, where he ripped through the batting, picking up seven wickets in the first innings and 10 overall.
Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, PCA Stadium (Mohali, Chandigarh)
Built in 1993
The PCA stadium is truly a world-class. With excellent ground and practice facilities, the stadium has some of the finest amenities in the country. It first hosted a match, an ODI between India and South Africa, in November 1993. Earlier, it had one of the liveliest pitches in the country, but over the years the pitch has lost its bite and become slower and lower. However, the outfield has remained lightening fast, as a result of which high-scoring game has become a norm. It has a seating capacity of 40,000.
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bangalore)
Built in 1969
The Chinnaswamy Stadium has been christened after M Chinnaswamy, the former BCCI president, who was also involved with administration of Karnataka cricket for close to four decades. It hosted its first Test match in 1974, which marked the debut of Vivian Richards and Gordon Greenidge, who scored a superb century in his first outing. It will also be remembered for Sunil Gavaskar’s last Test, where he scored a magnificent 96 to unsuccessfully lead Indian fightback against Imran Khan’s team in 1987. And who would forget India’s brilliant victory against Pakistan in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final.
Known to assist fast bowlers early in the match and spinners towards the end, it has witnessed some fine performances from the touring sides as well. Apart from Greenidge, Michael Clarke also scored his maiden century. Incidentally, while playing in his 100th Test here, Inzamam scored a century.
The stadium has a seating capacity of 55,000 spectators and houses National Cricket Academy since 2000.
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Built in 1937
One of the oldest stadia of India, the Brabourne Stadium last hosted a Test match in 1973, which was played between India and England. The stadium is owned by the Cricket Club of India (CCI) and only has a crowd capacity of 20,000.
The ground hosted international cricket matches after 11 years when five Champions Trophy games were held in 2006. All five encounters were low-scoring affairs, with 234 being the highest score.
This in itself tells the story of the wicket. It’s one of those few tracks where the bowlers have a real chance of being the heroes. It is very conducive to the spinners and offers a lot of turn.
Eden Gardens, Kolkata (Kolkata)
Built 1864
One of the oldest stadia of India, Eden Gardens has been the most revered venue for cricketers around the world. When packed to its full capacity, Eden Gardens is deafened with the roars of close to 1,00,000 passionate fans.
The stadium has hosted 35 Tests and 21 ODIs since 1934 and has been a witness to several glorious moments of cricket.
That miraculous day when India snatched the victory from the jaws of defeat against Australia in 2001 glorified the greatness of the venue even more. VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Harbhajan Singh were the three men who made the Eden Gardens look more beautiful than most stadiums in the world.
The last ODI on this ground was a washed-out affair between India and Sri Lanka in 2007.
The Eden pitch, like most others, has been a little partial towards the batsmen and has produced decent amount of runs. The winter-dew has been a concern among the captains in day-night matches.
Incidentally, only once has a team managed to post a total of over 300 in an ODI and the honour goes to Sri Lanka - they scored 309 against Pakistan in 1997. Two best performers of that match – Sanath Jayasuriya (55 runs) and Muttiah Muralitharan (3 for 40) – are still a part of the visiting team.
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Built: 1961
The Sawai Mansingh Stadium, located in the Pink City of Jaipur is one of the most improved cricketing venues of India. It underwent a thorough refurbishment in 2005, as a preparation for the six Champions Trophy games it hosted the year after.
While the seating capacity was upped to 30,000, the major enhancement was the installation of floodlights. The venue hosted its solitary Test in 1987 and has witnessed 16 One-day internationals since 1983.
The bowlers can exploit the early bounce before the pitch eases out into a flat batting track. Sri Lankan bowlers, comprising the likes of Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas bore the brunt of the batting beauty when Mahendra Singh Dhoni carted them for 183 in 145 deliveries in 2005.
Though spinners can create some opportunities during the later part of the game, the quick outfield of the Sawai Mansingh Stadium only makes life easier for the batsmen and gives them good value for their shots.
Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium (New Delhi)
Built in 1883
One of the oldest cricket stadiums in India, Feroz Shah Kotla was built in 1883. It derives its name from one of the emperors of Delhi, Feroz Shah Tuglaq, who had built a fortress during his rule between 1351 and 1388. The modern stadium is part of the imposing fortress complex. The stadium has the distinction of hosting Independent India’s first Test match against the John Goddard-led West Indies team in 1948-49.
Traditionally known to be a spinners delight, Kotla has witness some memorable performances by spinners. In 1965, S Venkatraghavan had run through the New Zealand batting line-up with splendid figures of 8 for 72 and 4 for 80. In 1999, Anil Kumble emulated Jim Laker’s world record by taking a perfect 10 for 74 against Pakistan.
Currently, the stadium is undergoing renovation. It now boasts of floodlights and all other modern amenities and has a capacity of 40,000. The Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA), which manages the stadium, is working on laying brand new pitches, which are believed to aid fast bowlers.
Barabati Stadium, Cuttack
Built 1951
The Barabati Stadium in Cuttack has a capacity of about 35,000 spectators. The ground has hosted 15 One-day internationals since 1982 and two Tests since 1987. It’s a beautiful stadium and one of its distinguishing features is its clock tower.
The last ODI at the venue was when India defeated England by six wickets in November, 2008.
The Barabati wicket is often a sporting one, as it offers a good contest between bat and ball. It becomes a good batting track after assisting the fast bowlers in the first hour and also offers good bounce as well.
The dew factor comes into play during the day-night encounters, which explains why the teams chasing totals have won 8 of the 15 ODIs played here.
While the lush-green outfield makes fielding an enjoyable experience, the evening dew on the grass does soften the ball to the batsmen’s liking.
It has been a happy hunting ground for India, as they have won 8 out of the 13 ODIs played here, with one match abandoned due to rain.
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, VCA Stadium (Nagpur)
Built in 2008
The newly-built stadium at Jamtha has already acquired a reputation of being one of the best in the country.
It boasts of a true wicket, where both batsmen and bowlers can use the conditions to their advantage. The first match that it hosted was the 4th Test between India and Australia (Nov, 2008), which India won by 172 runs. Interestingly, the Aussie spinner Jason Krejza had finished with 12 wickets and Harbhajan Singh with seven.
Spread over 33 acres, it has all the modern amenities, including wi-fi environment and a capacity of accommodating 45,000 people.
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Built: 1916
Named after the former president of Indian board, MA Chidambaram, the stadium is one of the most historic in India. Popularly known as Chepauk, the ground has been witness to some of the most memorable moments of Indian cricket, which include India’s first ever Test victory in 1951-52 against England and the famous tied Test of 1986-87 against Australia. Sachin Tendulkar’s match-winning hundred against England in 2008 and the one against Pakistan in 1999 also came on this ground.
Chepauk has always been known for its sporting track and around 50,000 knowledgeable cricket spectators, when in full capacity. As many as 18 of the 30 Tests played here have produced results, with India winning 12 of them. The ODIs here generally produce big scores and the wicket is much friendlier to spinners than to pace bowlers. The ground also boasts of a nice, green and quick outfield through which the ball often rushes to the fence, much to the batsmen’s delight. Ask a certain Saeed Anwar, who blasted a world record 194 runs in the Independence Cup ODI against India in 1997.
HPCA Stadium, Dharmasala (Himachal Pradesh)
Built in 2003
The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala is undoubtedly the most picturesque cricket ground in India with the Himalayas providing a perfect backdrop. Situated at an altitude of 1457 m above sea level, it first hosted a warm-up match between the touring Pakistan team and the Indian Board President’s XI in 2005. A rather small cricket ground, it can accommodate 21,000 spectators.
With temperatures ideal for cricket during the summers, it makes for a great venue with a sporting track, lush green outfield and modern amenities, including flood lights. Besides, hosting Ranji matches for the host Himachal team, it is also used by the National Cricket Academy for its zonal camps.
It will be hosting two IPL-3 matches of Kings XI Punjab; one against Deccan Chargers and the other against Chennai Super Kings
Built in 2008
It is considered as the sixth best cricket stadium in the world. It’s state-of-the-art facility impressed Rahul Dravid so much that he wishes to play at least one ODI before he retires. Apart from its magnificent design, thanks to architect Hafeez Contractor, a lot of care has gone into making the ground. About 200 tonnes of soil was especially air-lifted from South Africa to prepare the ground. It has one of the liveliest tracks in the country, which helps fast bowlers to extract good bounce. Its well-trimmed and lush green outfield is lightening fast. Situated about 50 km away from the city of Mumbai, it has seating capacity of 55,000, which makes it the second largest stadium in the country after Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
 DY Patil Stadium (Mumbai) |
Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad
Built in 1982
Sardar Patel Stadium is situated at Motera in the outskirts of Ahmedabad. It has a capacity of about 48,000 spectators.
The last Test played on the venue (Apr, 2008) is something that India will like to forget in a hurry. The Proteas pace attack of Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morni Morkel had bundled out India for an embarrassing 76 in the first innings.
The wicket offered uneven bounce, which the speedsters exploited to the hilt. It eased down after Day-one as South Africa piled on 494 in the first innings, which was followed by India’s 328. Though this track has a history of favouring the spinners, in that match the South African fast bowlers stole the show by picking up 18 wickets and registering an innings victory over the hosts.
Overall, Harbhajan Singh is the second highest wicket-taker on this track with 26 scalps, 10 behind Kumble. Harbhajan feasted on the Lankan batsmen in the 2005 Test, where he ripped through the batting, picking up seven wickets in the first innings and 10 overall.
 Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad |
Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, PCA Stadium (Mohali, Chandigarh)
Built in 1993
The PCA stadium is truly a world-class. With excellent ground and practice facilities, the stadium has some of the finest amenities in the country. It first hosted a match, an ODI between India and South Africa, in November 1993. Earlier, it had one of the liveliest pitches in the country, but over the years the pitch has lost its bite and become slower and lower. However, the outfield has remained lightening fast, as a result of which high-scoring game has become a norm. It has a seating capacity of 40,000.
 Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, PCA Stadium (Mohali, Chandigarh) |
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bangalore)
Built in 1969
The Chinnaswamy Stadium has been christened after M Chinnaswamy, the former BCCI president, who was also involved with administration of Karnataka cricket for close to four decades. It hosted its first Test match in 1974, which marked the debut of Vivian Richards and Gordon Greenidge, who scored a superb century in his first outing. It will also be remembered for Sunil Gavaskar’s last Test, where he scored a magnificent 96 to unsuccessfully lead Indian fightback against Imran Khan’s team in 1987. And who would forget India’s brilliant victory against Pakistan in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final.
Known to assist fast bowlers early in the match and spinners towards the end, it has witnessed some fine performances from the touring sides as well. Apart from Greenidge, Michael Clarke also scored his maiden century. Incidentally, while playing in his 100th Test here, Inzamam scored a century.
The stadium has a seating capacity of 55,000 spectators and houses National Cricket Academy since 2000.
 M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bangalore) |
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Built in 1937
One of the oldest stadia of India, the Brabourne Stadium last hosted a Test match in 1973, which was played between India and England. The stadium is owned by the Cricket Club of India (CCI) and only has a crowd capacity of 20,000.
The ground hosted international cricket matches after 11 years when five Champions Trophy games were held in 2006. All five encounters were low-scoring affairs, with 234 being the highest score.
This in itself tells the story of the wicket. It’s one of those few tracks where the bowlers have a real chance of being the heroes. It is very conducive to the spinners and offers a lot of turn.
 Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai |
Eden Gardens, Kolkata (Kolkata)
Built 1864
One of the oldest stadia of India, Eden Gardens has been the most revered venue for cricketers around the world. When packed to its full capacity, Eden Gardens is deafened with the roars of close to 1,00,000 passionate fans.
The stadium has hosted 35 Tests and 21 ODIs since 1934 and has been a witness to several glorious moments of cricket.
That miraculous day when India snatched the victory from the jaws of defeat against Australia in 2001 glorified the greatness of the venue even more. VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Harbhajan Singh were the three men who made the Eden Gardens look more beautiful than most stadiums in the world.
The last ODI on this ground was a washed-out affair between India and Sri Lanka in 2007.
The Eden pitch, like most others, has been a little partial towards the batsmen and has produced decent amount of runs. The winter-dew has been a concern among the captains in day-night matches.
Incidentally, only once has a team managed to post a total of over 300 in an ODI and the honour goes to Sri Lanka - they scored 309 against Pakistan in 1997. Two best performers of that match – Sanath Jayasuriya (55 runs) and Muttiah Muralitharan (3 for 40) – are still a part of the visiting team.
 Eden Gardens, Kolkata (Kolkata) |
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Built: 1961
The Sawai Mansingh Stadium, located in the Pink City of Jaipur is one of the most improved cricketing venues of India. It underwent a thorough refurbishment in 2005, as a preparation for the six Champions Trophy games it hosted the year after.
While the seating capacity was upped to 30,000, the major enhancement was the installation of floodlights. The venue hosted its solitary Test in 1987 and has witnessed 16 One-day internationals since 1983.
The bowlers can exploit the early bounce before the pitch eases out into a flat batting track. Sri Lankan bowlers, comprising the likes of Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas bore the brunt of the batting beauty when Mahendra Singh Dhoni carted them for 183 in 145 deliveries in 2005.
Though spinners can create some opportunities during the later part of the game, the quick outfield of the Sawai Mansingh Stadium only makes life easier for the batsmen and gives them good value for their shots.
 Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium (New Delhi)
Built in 1883
One of the oldest cricket stadiums in India, Feroz Shah Kotla was built in 1883. It derives its name from one of the emperors of Delhi, Feroz Shah Tuglaq, who had built a fortress during his rule between 1351 and 1388. The modern stadium is part of the imposing fortress complex. The stadium has the distinction of hosting Independent India’s first Test match against the John Goddard-led West Indies team in 1948-49.
Traditionally known to be a spinners delight, Kotla has witness some memorable performances by spinners. In 1965, S Venkatraghavan had run through the New Zealand batting line-up with splendid figures of 8 for 72 and 4 for 80. In 1999, Anil Kumble emulated Jim Laker’s world record by taking a perfect 10 for 74 against Pakistan.
Currently, the stadium is undergoing renovation. It now boasts of floodlights and all other modern amenities and has a capacity of 40,000. The Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA), which manages the stadium, is working on laying brand new pitches, which are believed to aid fast bowlers.
 Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium (New Delhi) |
Barabati Stadium, Cuttack
Built 1951
The Barabati Stadium in Cuttack has a capacity of about 35,000 spectators. The ground has hosted 15 One-day internationals since 1982 and two Tests since 1987. It’s a beautiful stadium and one of its distinguishing features is its clock tower.
The last ODI at the venue was when India defeated England by six wickets in November, 2008.
The Barabati wicket is often a sporting one, as it offers a good contest between bat and ball. It becomes a good batting track after assisting the fast bowlers in the first hour and also offers good bounce as well.
The dew factor comes into play during the day-night encounters, which explains why the teams chasing totals have won 8 of the 15 ODIs played here.
While the lush-green outfield makes fielding an enjoyable experience, the evening dew on the grass does soften the ball to the batsmen’s liking.
It has been a happy hunting ground for India, as they have won 8 out of the 13 ODIs played here, with one match abandoned due to rain.
 Barabati Stadium, Cuttack |
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, VCA Stadium (Nagpur)
Built in 2008
The newly-built stadium at Jamtha has already acquired a reputation of being one of the best in the country.
It boasts of a true wicket, where both batsmen and bowlers can use the conditions to their advantage. The first match that it hosted was the 4th Test between India and Australia (Nov, 2008), which India won by 172 runs. Interestingly, the Aussie spinner Jason Krejza had finished with 12 wickets and Harbhajan Singh with seven.
Spread over 33 acres, it has all the modern amenities, including wi-fi environment and a capacity of accommodating 45,000 people.
 Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, VCA Stadium (Nagpur) |
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Built: 1916
Named after the former president of Indian board, MA Chidambaram, the stadium is one of the most historic in India. Popularly known as Chepauk, the ground has been witness to some of the most memorable moments of Indian cricket, which include India’s first ever Test victory in 1951-52 against England and the famous tied Test of 1986-87 against Australia. Sachin Tendulkar’s match-winning hundred against England in 2008 and the one against Pakistan in 1999 also came on this ground.
Chepauk has always been known for its sporting track and around 50,000 knowledgeable cricket spectators, when in full capacity. As many as 18 of the 30 Tests played here have produced results, with India winning 12 of them. The ODIs here generally produce big scores and the wicket is much friendlier to spinners than to pace bowlers. The ground also boasts of a nice, green and quick outfield through which the ball often rushes to the fence, much to the batsmen’s delight. Ask a certain Saeed Anwar, who blasted a world record 194 runs in the Independence Cup ODI against India in 1997.
 MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
HPCA Stadium, Dharmasala (Himachal Pradesh)
Built in 2003
The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala is undoubtedly the most picturesque cricket ground in India with the Himalayas providing a perfect backdrop. Situated at an altitude of 1457 m above sea level, it first hosted a warm-up match between the touring Pakistan team and the Indian Board President’s XI in 2005. A rather small cricket ground, it can accommodate 21,000 spectators.
With temperatures ideal for cricket during the summers, it makes for a great venue with a sporting track, lush green outfield and modern amenities, including flood lights. Besides, hosting Ranji matches for the host Himachal team, it is also used by the National Cricket Academy for its zonal camps.
It will be hosting two IPL-3 matches of Kings XI Punjab; one against Deccan Chargers and the other against Chennai Super Kings
 HPCA Stadium, Dharmasala (Himachal Pradesh) |
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