Niranjan Shah Stadium

Last updated

Niranjan Shah Stadium
SCA Stadium.jpg
Ground information
Location Rajkot, Gujarat, India
Establishment2008
Capacity28,000
Owner Saurashtra Cricket Association
Operator Saurashtra Cricket Association
Tenants India national cricket team
India women's national cricket team
Saurashtra cricket team
Saurashtra women's cricket team
Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Lions (defunct)
End names
Pavilion End
Media End
International information
First Test9–13 November 2016:
Flag of India.svg  India v Flag of England.svg  England
Last Test15–18 February 2024:
Flag of India.svg  India v Flag of England.svg  England
First ODI11 January 2013:
Flag of India.svg  India v Flag of England.svg  England
Last ODI27 September 2023:
Flag of India.svg  India v Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
First T20I10 October 2013:
Flag of India.svg  India v Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Last T20I28 January 2025:
Flag of India.svg  India v Flag of England.svg  England
First WODI10 January 2025:
Flag of India.svg  India v Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland
Last WODI15 January 2025:
Flag of India.svg  India v Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland
As of 15 January 2025
Source: ESPNcricinfo

Niranjan Shah Stadium (formerly known as Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium), also known as Khandheri Cricket Stadium, is an international cricket stadium in Rajkot, India. It is India's second and Gujarat's first solar-powered stadium.

Contents

In 2013, the first international match took place in this stadium. In the same year, it hosted its first T20I between India and Australia, which India won by six wickets. In 2016, stadium hosted its first Test, India vs England. The match ended in a draw. Till date this venue has hosted multiple international Tests, ODIs and T20Is. This stadium also hosted several IPL matches during 2016-17, when Gujarat Lions opted for Rajkot as their home base.

History

Initially, the stadium was being used for Ranji Trophy matches, when the spectator stands were still being constructed. [1] With the stands completed, the ground can hold 28,000 people. The stadium is a part of a larger sports complex that will include venues for other sports such as badminton, basketball, and volleyball. It hosts Saurashtra Cricket Association matches along with Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground.

It is a state of the art cricket stadium. The media box here is similar in design to the one at Lord's Cricket Ground, London. To facilitate spectator movement, there are several aisles between seat columns and the many entrances/exits for the three stands. There is also a spacious passage running around the stadium, between the stands and the outer wall, to enable easy movement.

A 30-acre portion of agricultural land next to the Jamnagar highway was acquired around 2004. Construction began in 2006 and the total cost, including land, is said to be around Rs 75 crore (around $14 million). The SCA shifted its offices from the cramped seventh floor of a commercial building in the city to the stadium which has been hosting first-class matches since late 2008.

The complex has two playing fields: the main one inside the stadium, with a 90-yard outfield, and a smaller one outside, with a 70-yard outfield. The latter is used for outdoor nets, and also for district-level matches. The dressing rooms are big and lined with large, luxurious, cushioned seats.

There are more than 60 hospitality boxes dotting the West Stand and the Pavilion Stand but the SCA has decided against selling them permanently to corporates and will only hire them out for international matches. There are even plans to have an academy in the future.

The stadium was in the cricket news when its Saurashtra run machines Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja make their latest double or triple-hundreds.

It also hosted its first T20 International match on 10 October 2013 between India and Australia during the Australia Tour of India Oct-Nov 2013. The match first saw Aaron Finch make 89 and then the return of Yuvraj Singh to international cricket in which he scored an unbeaten 77 as India chased down 201 runs.

In November 2015, the stadium was selected as one of the six new Test venues along with Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, JSCA International Stadium Complex, Holkar Stadium, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium and Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in India. [2] The stadium was the home ground of the Gujarat Lions in IPL 2016. It hosted five matches in the season. [3]

On 9 November 2016, the stadium hosted its first Test match, which was played between England and India. [4]

On 14 February 2024, the stadium was named after Niranjan Shah, a former first-class cricketer from Saurashtra and the honorary secretary of the Saurashtra Cricket Association, a day before the start of the 3rd test match. [5]

Sustainability efforts

Niranjan Shah Stadium has implemented a solar rooftop system, making it one of the solar-powered venues in India. [6] The system is designed to generate 82,000 units of solar power annually and contributes to a monthly saving of approximately ₹54,600 in electricity bills. [7] Additionally, the stadium has plans for expanding its green power generation capabilities in the future. [8] These measures are part of the stadium's approach to sustainability.

List of centuries

Key

Tests

No.PlayerTeamScoreBallsInns.Opposing teamDate
1 Joe Root Flag of England.svg  England 1241801Flag of India.svg  India 9 November 2016 [9]
2 Moeen Ali Flag of England.svg  England 1172131Flag of India.svg  India
3 Ben Stokes Flag of England.svg  England 1282351Flag of India.svg  India
4 Murali Vijay Flag of India.svg  India 1263012Flag of England.svg  England
5 Cheteshwar Pujara Flag of India.svg  India 1242062Flag of England.svg  England
6 Alastair Cook Flag of England.svg  England 1302433Flag of India.svg  India
7 Prithvi Shaw Flag of India.svg  India 1341541WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies 24 October 2018 [10]
8 Virat Kohli Flag of India.svg  India 1392301WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies
9 Ravindra Jadeja Flag of India.svg  India 100*1321WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies
10 Rohit Sharma Flag of India.svg  India 1311961Flag of England.svg  England 15 February 2024 [11]
11 Ravindra Jadeja Flag of India.svg  India 1122251Flag of England.svg  England
12 Ben Duckett Flag of England.svg  England 1531512Flag of India.svg  India
13 Yashasvi Jaiswal Flag of India.svg  India 214*2363Flag of England.svg  England

One Day Internationals

No.PlayerTeamScoreBallsInns.Opposing teamDateResult
1 Suryakumar Yadav Flag of India.svg  India 112*511Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 7 January 2023Won [12]

Twenty20 Internationals

No.PlayerTeamScoreBallsInns.Opposing teamDateResult
1 Suryakumar Yadav Flag of India.svg  India 112*511Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 7 January 2023Won [12]
2 Colin Munro Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 109*581Flag of India.svg  India 4 November 2017Won [13]

List of five-wicket hauls

Tests

No.BowlerDateTeamOpposing TeamInnORWResult
2 Ravindra Jadeja 4 October 2018Flag of India.svg  India WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies 314575India won [10]
1 Kuldeep Yadav 15 February 2024Flag of India.svg  India Flag of England.svg  England 412.4415India won [11]

References

  1. Hindustan Times
  2. BCCI revamps selection committee, announces new Test centres
  3. IPL-T20 Schedule
  4. "England tour of India, 1st Test: India v England at Rajkot, Nov 9-13, 2016". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  5. "SCA Stadium renamed after veteran cricket administrator Niranjan Shah". Business Standard. 16 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  6. "Rajkot's SCA stadium becomes eco-friendly with solar power installation". DNA India.
  7. "Cricket stadium in Rajkot to be solar-powered". Times of India.
  8. "Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium: A Homeground Legacy in Rajkot, India". Stadiums World.
  9. "1st Test, England tour of India at Rajkot, Nov 9-13 2016". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  10. 1 2 "1st Test, West Indies tour of India at Rajkot, Oct 4-6 2018". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  11. 1 2 "3rd Test, Rajkot, February 15 - 19, 2024, England tour of India". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  12. 1 2 "3rd T20I (N), Rajkot, January 07, 2023, Sri Lanka tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  13. "2nd T20I (N), New Zealand tour of India at Rajkot, Nov 4 2017". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 August 2019.

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