[justify]M.Chinnaswamy Stadium
angalore, India
Ground profile
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Karnataka State Cricket Association, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bangalore - 560001
Also or formerly known as Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium
Established 1969
Capacity 55,000
Floodlights Yes
End names Pavilion End, BEML End
Home team(s) Karnataka
Curator Narayan Raju
Profile
Originally named the Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium, the ground was eventually renamed after M Chinnaswamy, who was the president of the Indian board from 1977 until 1980, and was involved in the administration of Karnataka cricket for close to four decades. The foundation for the construction of the stadium was laid in May 1969 and building began in 1970.
The stadium was given Test status in 1974-75 and hosted West Indies in the opening match, although the stadium was only half-built. That match was also the debut of two West Indian greats, Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards. The stadium also played host to Sunil Gavaskar's swansong innings - a masterclass on a minefield - when India went down to Pakistan in the series decider in 1987.
The stadium was renovated before the two sides met each other again in another titanic encounter; the World Cup quarter-final in 1996, when floodlights were installed for the first time. Since then, Bangalore has proved to be a lucky venue for visiting teams with South Africa, Australia and Pakistan winning crucial games. South Africa's historic series win in 2000, Michael Clarke's sensational hundred on debut, Inzamam's century in his 100th Test and Anil Kumble's 400th Test wicket have been the highlights over the last decade.
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Brabourne Stadium
Mumbai, India
Ground profile
Established 1937
Named after Lord Brabourne, Governor of Bombay
Capacity 20,000
Floodlights No
End names Pavilion End, Church Gate End
Home team(s) Mumbai
The Brabourne Stadium was built on a piece of land reclaimed from the sea which Lord Brabourne, Governor of Bombay, presented to the Cricket Club of India after being tempted with an offer of immortality in the bargain. It was officially opened on December 7 1937 following with a match between the CCI and Lord Tennyson's team. The idea that the ground would be the Lord's of India (the Cricket Club of India was regarded as the county's MCC) was the brainchild of a Goan, Neville de Mello. It was as exclusive as its English counterpart and every bit as luxurious - Frank Worrell once remarked that it was the only place in the world where he could watch cricket in his dressing-gown and remove it when it was his turn to bat. It was also a multi-sport complex which hosted international tennis..
But the ground had its problems, mostly notably with the crowds who were often crammed in beyond capacity, and that, allied to constant disputes over ticketing arrangements, led to the Bombay Cricket Association building its own stadium half a mile away.
The Brabourne these days has an air of faded splendor, and although it has hosted the occasional first-class match (Sachin Tendulkar made the first double century of his first-class career during Mumbai's win over Australia in 1997-9Cool.
The Brabourne Stadium has a rich and fascinating history. After it was built,the Pentangular shifted here from the Bombay Gymkhana in 1937-38 and it was here that Vijay Merchant - Vijay Hazare rivalry was played out with no quarter asked and none given. In the 1943-44 final between Rest and Hindus, Hazare parried Merchant's record 250 with an astonishing 309 out of 387, despite which Rest lost by an innings. Hazare also hit centuries in all his four Tests at Brabourne. Merchant never played a Test here but made over 35% of his career first-class runs on this wicket, including an unbeaten 359 v Maharashtra. Eleven of the 17 Tests here were drawn but there were some tense finishes - in 1948-49 against the West Indies, umpire Joshi removed the bails with 90 seconds left on the clock and India six short of a maiden Test win.
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Eden Gardens
Kolkata, India
Ground profile
The Cricket Association of Bengal, DR BC Roy Club House, Eden Gardens, Kolkata - 700021
Established 1864
Capacity 90,000
Floodlights Yes
End names High Court End, Pavilion End
Home team(s) Bengal
Curator Probir Mukherjee
Along with the MCG, the Eden Gardens remains cricket's answer to the Coliseum. It first hosted a Test back in the days of India's cricketing infancy, with Douglas Jardine's team easing to victory inside four days in 1934. Since then, it has become something of a place of pilgrimage for most international cricketers, a chance to strut their stuff in front of the most passionate and vocal crowd in the game. At times though, the fervour has spilled into excess, with riots disrupting matches against the West Indies (1966-67) and Australia (1969-70), and a shameful exhibition of boorishness causing the World Cup semi-final against Sri Lanka (1996) to be called off with the visitors on the threshold of victory.
There have been other, better, times too when the verve and energy of the crowd has made it a twelfth man of sorts and stirred India's finest to great feats, none more so than that hallowed day in March 2001 when VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid set the stage for the greatest come-from-behind victory of modern times, against an Australian team poised for an unprecedented 17th straight Test win. Despite packing in 90,000 on red-letter days, it hasn't been a lucky charm for India until recently, when the spin wiles of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble inspired famous victories against Australia and Pakistan.
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Green Park
Civil Lines, Kanpur, India
Ground profile
UP Cricket Association, E/23, Ashram Building, PO HN Shastri Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Township, Kanpur - 208 005 (Phone: 0512 - 2240933/2218076)
Also or formerly known as Modi Stadium
Established 1945
Capacity 45,000
Floodlights Yes
Constructed in one of the most polluted cities in India, Kanpur's Green Park stadium, situated close to the river Ganges, accommodates 39,255 - mostly uncovered - spectators. Established in 1945, the ground, which has seen frequent changes, lacks the tradition which some of the other premier Test grounds boast of. Its floodlights are slung low, and were used for the first time last year in a Test featuring South Africa. A number of dull drawn games have been the feature of the Tests at Kanpur, thanks to lifeless pitches; this, in part, is the fault of the region's soil, for it does not encourage bounce and pace.
For long not too many fixtures were held here, until the local cricket association prepared a ground fit for international cricket. And if the eyes and lungs can adapt and overcome the thick smog that pervades the city, the pitch is a batsmen's paradise. Mohammad Azharuddin hit the last of his three consecutive hundreds during his sensational debut. In 1986-87, Sri Lanka and India produced 1096 runs and lost only 17 wickets. In the 90s, India and West Indies produced an average of 73 runs per wicket. More recently, Shahid Afridi blitzed a 45-ball century, playing through the line and swinging across and one could sense him almost closing his eyes as he smote the ball; it was that kind of pitch
End names Mill Pavilion End, Hostel End
Home team(s) Uttar Pradesh
Other sports Football
Curator Shivkumar
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angalore, India
Ground profile
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Karnataka State Cricket Association, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bangalore - 560001
Also or formerly known as Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium
Established 1969
Capacity 55,000
Floodlights Yes
End names Pavilion End, BEML End
Home team(s) Karnataka
Curator Narayan Raju
Profile
Originally named the Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium, the ground was eventually renamed after M Chinnaswamy, who was the president of the Indian board from 1977 until 1980, and was involved in the administration of Karnataka cricket for close to four decades. The foundation for the construction of the stadium was laid in May 1969 and building began in 1970.
The stadium was given Test status in 1974-75 and hosted West Indies in the opening match, although the stadium was only half-built. That match was also the debut of two West Indian greats, Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards. The stadium also played host to Sunil Gavaskar's swansong innings - a masterclass on a minefield - when India went down to Pakistan in the series decider in 1987.
The stadium was renovated before the two sides met each other again in another titanic encounter; the World Cup quarter-final in 1996, when floodlights were installed for the first time. Since then, Bangalore has proved to be a lucky venue for visiting teams with South Africa, Australia and Pakistan winning crucial games. South Africa's historic series win in 2000, Michael Clarke's sensational hundred on debut, Inzamam's century in his 100th Test and Anil Kumble's 400th Test wicket have been the highlights over the last decade.
==========================================================================================================
Brabourne Stadium
Mumbai, India
Ground profile
Established 1937
Named after Lord Brabourne, Governor of Bombay
Capacity 20,000
Floodlights No
End names Pavilion End, Church Gate End
Home team(s) Mumbai
The Brabourne Stadium was built on a piece of land reclaimed from the sea which Lord Brabourne, Governor of Bombay, presented to the Cricket Club of India after being tempted with an offer of immortality in the bargain. It was officially opened on December 7 1937 following with a match between the CCI and Lord Tennyson's team. The idea that the ground would be the Lord's of India (the Cricket Club of India was regarded as the county's MCC) was the brainchild of a Goan, Neville de Mello. It was as exclusive as its English counterpart and every bit as luxurious - Frank Worrell once remarked that it was the only place in the world where he could watch cricket in his dressing-gown and remove it when it was his turn to bat. It was also a multi-sport complex which hosted international tennis..
But the ground had its problems, mostly notably with the crowds who were often crammed in beyond capacity, and that, allied to constant disputes over ticketing arrangements, led to the Bombay Cricket Association building its own stadium half a mile away.
The Brabourne these days has an air of faded splendor, and although it has hosted the occasional first-class match (Sachin Tendulkar made the first double century of his first-class career during Mumbai's win over Australia in 1997-9Cool.
The Brabourne Stadium has a rich and fascinating history. After it was built,the Pentangular shifted here from the Bombay Gymkhana in 1937-38 and it was here that Vijay Merchant - Vijay Hazare rivalry was played out with no quarter asked and none given. In the 1943-44 final between Rest and Hindus, Hazare parried Merchant's record 250 with an astonishing 309 out of 387, despite which Rest lost by an innings. Hazare also hit centuries in all his four Tests at Brabourne. Merchant never played a Test here but made over 35% of his career first-class runs on this wicket, including an unbeaten 359 v Maharashtra. Eleven of the 17 Tests here were drawn but there were some tense finishes - in 1948-49 against the West Indies, umpire Joshi removed the bails with 90 seconds left on the clock and India six short of a maiden Test win.
============================================================================================================
Eden Gardens
Kolkata, India
Ground profile
The Cricket Association of Bengal, DR BC Roy Club House, Eden Gardens, Kolkata - 700021
Established 1864
Capacity 90,000
Floodlights Yes
End names High Court End, Pavilion End
Home team(s) Bengal
Curator Probir Mukherjee
Along with the MCG, the Eden Gardens remains cricket's answer to the Coliseum. It first hosted a Test back in the days of India's cricketing infancy, with Douglas Jardine's team easing to victory inside four days in 1934. Since then, it has become something of a place of pilgrimage for most international cricketers, a chance to strut their stuff in front of the most passionate and vocal crowd in the game. At times though, the fervour has spilled into excess, with riots disrupting matches against the West Indies (1966-67) and Australia (1969-70), and a shameful exhibition of boorishness causing the World Cup semi-final against Sri Lanka (1996) to be called off with the visitors on the threshold of victory.
There have been other, better, times too when the verve and energy of the crowd has made it a twelfth man of sorts and stirred India's finest to great feats, none more so than that hallowed day in March 2001 when VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid set the stage for the greatest come-from-behind victory of modern times, against an Australian team poised for an unprecedented 17th straight Test win. Despite packing in 90,000 on red-letter days, it hasn't been a lucky charm for India until recently, when the spin wiles of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble inspired famous victories against Australia and Pakistan.
==========================================================================================================
Green Park
Civil Lines, Kanpur, India
Ground profile
UP Cricket Association, E/23, Ashram Building, PO HN Shastri Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Township, Kanpur - 208 005 (Phone: 0512 - 2240933/2218076)
Also or formerly known as Modi Stadium
Established 1945
Capacity 45,000
Floodlights Yes
Constructed in one of the most polluted cities in India, Kanpur's Green Park stadium, situated close to the river Ganges, accommodates 39,255 - mostly uncovered - spectators. Established in 1945, the ground, which has seen frequent changes, lacks the tradition which some of the other premier Test grounds boast of. Its floodlights are slung low, and were used for the first time last year in a Test featuring South Africa. A number of dull drawn games have been the feature of the Tests at Kanpur, thanks to lifeless pitches; this, in part, is the fault of the region's soil, for it does not encourage bounce and pace.
For long not too many fixtures were held here, until the local cricket association prepared a ground fit for international cricket. And if the eyes and lungs can adapt and overcome the thick smog that pervades the city, the pitch is a batsmen's paradise. Mohammad Azharuddin hit the last of his three consecutive hundreds during his sensational debut. In 1986-87, Sri Lanka and India produced 1096 runs and lost only 17 wickets. In the 90s, India and West Indies produced an average of 73 runs per wicket. More recently, Shahid Afridi blitzed a 45-ball century, playing through the line and swinging across and one could sense him almost closing his eyes as he smote the ball; it was that kind of pitch
End names Mill Pavilion End, Hostel End
Home team(s) Uttar Pradesh
Other sports Football
Curator Shivkumar
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