Are you a cricket fan?
Are you absolutely crazy about this sport?
Do you want to be right in the midst of the action?
Then this article about the biggest cricket stadiums is just for you!
India is a mystical land of drama and dreams!
This great nation of ours is renowned throughout the world for a plethora of reason. It is a nation which is doused in history and heritage.
It has been the home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, the vast Moghul Dynasty and been a region of trade routes and spices for centuries. It is the seventh largest country in the world in terms of area and the second most populous with over a billion souls. Living here.
The world’s largest democracy is famed for the second largest film industry Bollywood, its colourful festivals, its piety and spirituality, its palate -burning food and even one of the Seven Wonders of the World Taj Mahal!
However, one of the biggest things that India is also renowned for is being home to one of the biggest and most popular sports– Cricket.
“Eat. Sleep. Play Cricket. Repeat.”
That is the anthem of every cricket fanatic in this country. India has one of the most cricket frenzy populations in the entire world! Although technically hockey is considered the national sport of this country; cricket is by far the most popular spot among the Indians.
The passion for this sport is evident in their ability and talent at the sport. The Indian Cricket Team boast an extensive array of accolades in their trophy cabinet. Among these also lies an astounding 3 World Cup! They are also currently perched on top of the world with their ICC ranking of Number 1!
Ever since time immemorial, cricket has been the heartbeat of India! But while the popularity of the gentleman’s game has always been sky – high, in recent years with the likes of Virat Kohli coming up the ranks, this sport has awakened a new sense of passion in the public.
The Indian Premier League has grown to be one the most watched sporting events around the world over the years, and it attracts thousands of people from the world over to tune in for the matches.
But nothing compares to the absolute madness and excitement of being a part of the stadium in a cricket match. The atmosphere in a stadium is surreal, and you get to witness your country live in front of your eyes!
So, why hesitate anymore? This list gives you some of the biggest and most magical stadiums in India. Use this list to book your tickets and do not miss out on any of the action!
1. A. Chidambaram Stadium (Tamil Nadu)
Starting this list is one of India’s oldest stadiums still in use. This stadium seats approximately 50,000 fans. Established in 1916, and it is the home of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Team as well as the Chennai Super Kings. Chepauk Stadium– as it is called by
the locals- has withstood the test of time, and over the years has produced some spectacular memories for the players and fans alike. This stadium first held its first international match in 1934; a test match between The Men in Blue and England; which ended with a 202-run victory for the visitors.
The most intriguing thing about the ground, however, is the crowd support. It is generally known that the Chepauk crowd is the most knowledgeable crowd in the country.
2. Sardar Patel Stadium (Gujarat)
Built on the banks of the Sabarmati river on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, the Sardar Patel Stadium is an imposing structure which can accommodate about 54,000 spectators. A relatively new stadium, it was built in 1982. However, despite its short tenure this ground has witnessed history
being writ on multiple occasions! Some mind-boggling records set on these grounds include Sunil Gavaskar’s completion of 10,000 runs and Sachin Tendulkar’s completion of 20 years in international cricket.
3. Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium (Delhi)
Formerly known as Willington Pavilion, the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium boasts a capacity of 55,000. Because of this ground’s unique architecture and quirky structuring of the stands, this is one of the most recognizable stadiums in India. Fond memories
are also attached to this picturesque stadium, as this was the ground where Anil Kumble secured his 10 – wicket haul against India’s noisy neighbors Pakistan! Other records to be made and broken here were Sunil Gavaskar equalling Don Bradman’s tally of most Test centuries (29). Years later, the Little Maestro Sachin Tendulkar broke this very record on this ground as well.
4. MCA Pune International Cricket Centre (Pune)
For years, Pune city has played second fiddle to the bigger, more populous cosmopolitan titan that is Mumbai. However, for the Pune-kar the winds of change are blowing. With the construction of the MCA International Centre, this city has overtaken the mantle of housing the biggest stadium in the state. This stadium has a capacity
of 56,000 and serves as the Maharashtra Cricket Association’s headquarters. Built as recent as 2011, this stadium is the youngest one on this list!
5. Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium (Hyderabad)
The lack for a big cricket stadium plagued the city of Hyderabad for years. With the construction of the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium in 2004, Hyderabad finally had themselves a primary home for cricket. Nestled away in the recesses of Uppal, this ground is home to the IPL team Sunrisers
Hyderabad. Due to the smaller-sized pitch, this ground quickly became famous for being a batsmen’s Woodstock; and a bowler’s nightmare!
6. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Kochi)
Entering the second half of this list, we have up next the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. With a capacity of 60,000 this ground is the 4th largest in the country. It is also an architectural marvel. Made with the intention of preserving and commemorating
the iconic character of nascent India’s first Prime Minister- the great Jawaharlal Nehru- this stadium showcases an innovative design for the roof over seating tier and has one of the largest membrane roof systems in the world! It also has state-of-the-art facilities and all the high-end technology required for the game.
Also Read: IPL 2018 Matches Schedule & Team Players List
7. Raipur International Cricket Stadium (Chhattisgarh)
Raipur International Cricket Stadium, also commonly known as Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium closely resembles the Baseball grounds of the United States. With the positioning of the floodlights and its bowl-like structure, this ground has a capacity of around 64,000; making
it the second largest stadium in the country. The red ribbon was cut in 2008, and since then it has hosted only a couple of matches. Bizarrely enough the first international match to be played here was Canada vs Chhattisgarh. It is currently the Delhi Daredevil’s second home ground in the Indian Premier League.
8. Municipal Corporation Stadium (Kozhikode)
Making a surprise appearance on this list, is the Municipal Corporation Stadium located in Kozhikode in the backwaters of Kerala. This stadium currently has a capacity of 53,000 but is undergoing renovation for a new stand which will potentially increase the seating to north of 61,000.
Strangely enough, this was initially built as a football stadium, but because of the quality of the pitch, international matches have also started taking place here.
9. Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai)
Let’s be honest- this list wouldn’t have been complete without the inclusion of this ground, would it? Often pegged as the Indian Theatre of Dreams, the name Wankhede alone is enough to bring out an array of emotions for cricket fans all
over the country. This is by far the most recognized stadium in India. Getting tickets here for when India plays is about as easy as winning the lottery! With a capacity of just over 33,000 this stadium isn’t the biggest in terms of size or structure. However, when it comes to how much it has contributed to the history of Indian cricket, this ground may perhaps take the crown .
Sachin Tendulkar- the greatest to ever grace this game– bid his adieu here. Ravi Shastri hit six sixes in an over here once upon a time, and India won their second World Cup here; after a photo finish sixer from Captain MS Dhoni.
10. Eden Gardens (Kolkata)
Ever since the Biblical fall of Adam from Heaven, Man has tried to get back to Eden. It is no different when it comes to cricket either! The Eden Gardens Stadium is one of the most iconic, legendary and awe-inspiring stadiums there is. It is India’s answer to the Coliseum! Eden Gardens is the largest cricket ground in
the country and the third-largest in the world in terms of capacity. Once upon a time, it housed over 90,000 Indian souls under it’s roof, but it was recently redeveloped. This included adding state-of-the-art technology, renovating the stands from 1864, and also decreasing the capacity to 65,000.
Notorious for the hostile crowd, and renowned for the passion of the fans, this quote perfectly sums up the legacy of The Gardens:
“A cricketer’s career will remain incomplete until he plays in front of a packed Eden Gardens”.
So, there you have it. These are 10 of the biggest, boldest and certainly the most boisterous cricket grounds in the country. Watching a live match at any of these would guarantee drama, emotion, and pure unbridled fun! Spectators can taste the excitement, feel the palpable tension in the air and witness an enthralling game of cricket!