Cricket is undoubtedly the most popular sport in India and is considered as a religion in his country. Nothing unites people more than cricket does in India. Given the geographical composition of the country, it’s always a challenge for the players to play in different stadiums in India.
Along with this challenge comes the pressure to play in front of a huge crowd cheering for their home nation. With a population of about 1.3 billion people, and cricket being the most loved sport, India is home to some of the largest cricket stadiums in the world with huge seating capacities. In this article, we take a look at the 5 cricket stadiums in India with the largest seating capacity.
5 Largest Cricket Stadiums In India
5. Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram (55,000 capacity)
The Greenfield Cricket Stadium formerly known as the Trivandrum International Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium situated in Kerala. The stadium is mainly used to host football and cricket matches. The stadium was built 6 years ago, in 2015 by IL&FS company.
It has the capacity to accommodate 55,000 spectators. In 2016, the Kerala Cricket Association signed an agreement to take the Greenfield stadium on lease to host matches. The stadium hosted its first International cricket match when India played against New Zealand and beat them by six runs in a T20 International match in 2017.
After this match, the stadium played host to two more International matches against West Indies. It also hosted the 2014 SAFF Championship where India emerged victorious beating Afghanistan by a 2-1 margin.
4. Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad (55,000 capacity)
The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium is located in the eastern suburbs of Uppal, Hyderabad, Telangana. The stadium was established in 2003 by the Hyderabad Cricket Association. It has a capacity of 55,000 and extends across 16 acres of land.
The ends are named Pavilion End and North End. On the retirement of VVS Laxman, the HCA decided to honour the veteran by naming the North End after him. The stadium is the home ground for the Hyderabad Cricket Association team and the Sunrisers Hyderabad team in the Indian Premier League.
It hosted the opener and final of the 2017 Indian Premier League and the final of the 2019 Indian Premier League. The stadium also witnessed the first-ever Ganguly-Durjoy Trophy match which was played in 2017 between India and Bangladesh.
3. Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, Raipur (65,000 capacity)
The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh is also known as the Naya Raipur International Cricket Stadium. The stadium is named after Veer Narayan Singh Binjhwar a landlord from Sonakhan who spearheaded the 1857 war Indian independence in Chhattisgarh.
The stadium was inaugurated in 2008 and hosted its first-ever match in 2010 when the Canada Cricket Team arrived in India and played a practice match against the Chhattisgarh state team.
It has a seating capacity of 65000 spectators. This stadium has hosted various IPL matches and was also the second home venue for Delhi Capitals in the 2013 IPL season. The Road Safety Series 2020-21 was also played in the stadium.
2. Eden Gardens, Kolkata (68,000 capacity)
The celebrated Eden Gardens, Kolkata is the oldest and second-largest cricket stadium in India. The stadium was established in 1864. It takes its name from the Eden Gardens, one of the oldest parks in Kolkata, adjacent to the stadium, designed in 1841 and named after the Eden sisters of Lord Auckland, the then Governor-General of India.
It currently has a capacity of 68,000 spectators. Eden Gardens is often referred to as the “Home of Indian Cricket” or the “Mecca of Indian Cricket” due to it being the first officially built ground for the game of cricket in India.
The stadium has hosted 15 Cricket World Cup matches across formats and men’s and women’s cricket including 4 finals (1987 ODI CWC, 2016 T20I, 1997 Women’s CWC, and 2016 Women’s T20I) and 1 semifinal (1996 ODI CWC).
The first recorded Test at the venue was held in 1934 between England and India, its first One Day International in 1987 between India and Pakistan, and it’s first T20 international in 2011 between India and England. Eden Gardens was also the host for India’s first-ever Day/Night Test during the second Test between India and Bangladesh in 2019.
1. Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad (132,000 capacity)
The Narendra Modi Stadium, commonly known as the Motera Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in the world, with a seating capacity of 132,000 spectators. The stadium is owned by the Gujarat Cricket Association and is the home ground of the Gujarat Cricket Team.
The stadium was constructed in 1983 and was first renovated in 2006. In 2015 it was demolished before being completely rebuilt by February 2020. The total area of the stadium is equivalent to 32 Olympic-size football fields put together.
It is currently the only cricket stadium in the world to have four dressing rooms for the players and is also the only stadium in the world with 11 center pitches on the main ground. After reconstruction, this stadium hosted the first-ever pink ball Test match between India and England in 2021.
This ground has been the home for several World Cup games, including the 2011 World Cup which was won by India under the leadership of MS Dhoni. Sachin Tendulkar completed his 20 years of International Cricket in the stadium and also completed the landmark of 30000 international runs.
Stadium |
Capacity |
|
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
132,000 |
| Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 68,000 |
| Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, Raipur | 65,000 |
| Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad | 55,000 |
| Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram | 55,000 |
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