Watching cricket in a stadium in India is an exhilarating experience, especially when each seat is occupied, and the crowd shouts their throat out. You cannot experience at home– the collective oohs and aahs, tensed faces in case of thrillers, and contrasting dances of joy or despair based on victory or loss. The stadium’s capacity plays a pivotal role in crafting that ambience. In the same breath, this article looks at the top 10 largest cricket stadiums in India based on capacity.
#10 MA Chidambaram Stadium
The MA Chidambaram or Chepauk stadium, located in Chennai, has a rich history in Indian cricket history and holds a capacity of 38,000. Founded in 1916, Chepauk is the home ground for Tamil Nadu’s domestic squad and the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. The Chennai crowd witnessed India’s historic first Test win in 1951-52 against England.
Chepauk has been renowned for being a sporting crowd, appreciative of stunning cricket, from the home team or the opposition. They greeted Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar with a standing ovation after he scored 194 runs against India in 1997.
Former Indian leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani holds the record for the best bowling figures in a debut Test match (16 wickets for 136 runs versus West Indies) on this ground.
#9 Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium
The Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur is the ninth-largest in India, allowing 45k people in attendance. Before this new stadium came up at Jamtha, Nagpur, domestic and international games were played in the Civil Lines ground of the VCA. The new stadium hosts all the international games at present, while VCA utilizes the old one for domestic games and cricket coaching.
#8 Barabati Stadium
The Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha, offers a seating capacity for 45k people, like the VCA. It is the home ground of Odisha’s state team and is among the oldest cricket grounds in the country, founded in 1958. International games became a rarity here after the crowd disruptions caused during a T20I game in 2015. After a four-year break, India returned to Cuttack in 2019, but Barabati does not get to host regularly.
#7 JSCA International Cricket Stadium
The Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) International Cricket Stadium supports 50,000 people and is among the newest stadiums in the country. Established in 2010 in Ranchi, it is home to the Jharkhand state cricket team and became the ‘temporary home ground’ for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2014. With its establishment, Jharkhand also received a stadium of international standard. It was well-deserved for a state that has offered India the phenomenon called MS Dhoni, who won multiple ICC tournaments for the country.
#6th Largest Cricket Stadium: Ekana
Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow is among the latest additions to India’s long list of international-level stadiums. Inaugurated in 2017, the Ekana Stadium holds a seating capacity of 50,000 and has become the home ground of the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. It was one of the selected venues for the ICC World Cup 2023.
#5 Greenfield International Stadium
The Greenfield International Stadium is the home ground for Kerala’s domestic team. It sits fifth on this list of the largest stadiums in the country, with an approximate capacity of 55k. Besides cricket, football matches are a regular occurrence here.
#4 Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium
The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad came into being in 2004. The Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh owned the available Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium, thus leaving the Hyderabad Cricket Association with little or no authority. Therefore, they required a state-of-the-art stadium, which would be fully dedicated to cricket and be under their supervision. As a result, this stadium came into being, allowing 55k people in its full strength.
#3 Naya Raipur International Cricket Stadium
The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, popularly known as the Naya Raipur Stadium, holds the third spot. Its seating capacity ranges between 60,000 and 65,000, thus allowing a stellar spectacle of a cricket match. Since its establishment in 2008, it has hosted two international games (till 2023) and would hope to host more.
#2nd Largest Cricket Stadium: Eden Gardens
The historical Eden Gardens happened to be the largest stadium in the country at one time. It accommodated around 1 lakh people. However, after renovation, it can hold approximately 66k to 70k people. This majestic venue has seen Rohit Sharma’s 264, the historic 2001 Test against Australia, and other momentous incidents in cricket history It also serves as the home ground for Bengal’s State team and the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
#1 Biggest Cricket Stadium: Narendra Modi Stadium
Allowing 1,32,000 people, the Narendra Modi Stadium takes the top spot. Australia won their sixth ODI World Cup in 2023 after defeating home favourites India on this venue.
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