The Smallest Cricket Stadium in India

Do you know which is the smallest cricket stadium in India? Read on to find out!

India is a huge country, not only in terms of its geographical area or population but also in terms of the number of stadiums it holds. 

The country flaunts more than 50 international cricket stadiums.

Not only that, India is also home to the biggest cricket stadium in the world.

Enough has been said about the biggest cricket stadium in the world. Let us also talk about the smallest cricket stadium in India.

A cricket stadium can be termed small on two parameters. First, seating capacity and second, by boundary.

A stadium with a small seating capacity offers a compact, cozy atmosphere while a stadium with a smaller boundary benefits the batsman in terms of the centuries he scores.

As per these two parameters, two stadiums are categorised as the smallest stadiums in India. Let us get into the details!

Smallest Cricket Stadium in India: By Boundary

The Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium formerly known as the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi is the smallest cricket stadium in India. It was inaugurated 141 years ago, in 1883 and was named after the nearby Feroz Shah Kotla Fort.

The 2019, it was renamed the Arun Jaitley Stadium in honour of the former DDCA president and finance minister.

After Eden Gardens, the Arun Jaitely Cricket Stadium is the second oldest functional cricket stadium in India. It serves as the home ground to the IPL franchise team, the Delhi Capitals. 

This batting-friendly cricket ground measures approximately 65 metres, while the straight boundaries are approximately 68 metres. 

Though the size of the stadium is the smallest in India, it has a decent stadium capacity. The Stadium can host about 35,200 seated spectators. 

The first cricket match hosted by Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium was the 1948 test match between India and West Indies. 

The stadium has three stands named after three prominent figures in the legacy of Indian cricket. 

These are former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir and former India all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath.

The home team’s dressing room is named after former Indian batsman Raman Lamba and the away dressing room is named after former Indian Test cricketer Prakash Bhandari.

The Arun Jaitely Stadium has to date hosted 34 Tests, 31 ODIs, 7 T20Is and 84 IPL matches.

Trivia

Poor Pitch

In 2009, an India vs Sri Lanka ODI match was cancelled because the pitch conditions at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium were classified as unfit to host a match. 

As a result of the referee’s report, the stadium ground was banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for 12 months. The event sparked contention and led to BCCI firing the ground crew. 

The stadium was again allowed to host first-class cricket matches after repair and redevelopment during the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

Poor Air Quality

In 2023, during the World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Sri Lankan players complained of difficulty breathing due to extreme air pollution in Delhi. The players had to resort to wearing face masks while playing. 

This comes as no shock as Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world. Indian spectators blamed the Sri Lankan squad for being melodramatic. 

However, a couple of Indian Cricketers also fell sick due to the poor AQI. The BCCI was blamed for poor choice of venue for the match and several matches ended up being cancelled. 

Smallest Cricket Stadium in India: By Seating Capacity

The Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground also known as Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sport Complex is the smallest cricket stadium in India with a seating capacity of 8000 spectators. 

Built as per the latest ICC specifications and guidelines, this stadium is fully equipped with floodlights, a bowling alley, an indoor stadium, and lawn tennis courts on the premises. 

The stadium is a new addition to India’s huge list of cricket venues and an addition to Noida’s growing urban architecture. 

This cricketing venue was established in 2013 and was approved for full-member games by the ICC in 2016.

It hosted its first cricket match, the Afghanistan vs Ireland T20I in 2017.

Trivia

Rain Plays Spoil Sport

In September 2024, The Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex became the 124th Venue And Noida became the 95th city to host a test match in Test Cricket history.

However, the opening day of the historic one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand was a non-starter. The match was cancelled due to a wet outfield on 9th September. 

Conclusion

India is home to some of the most iconic and the biggest cricket stadiums on the planet. However, it also offers smaller, unique venues that hold significant historical and cultural value. 

The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, with its compact boundaries, and the Greater Noida Sports Complex, with its modest seating capacity, both contribute to India’s position as a premier cricketing nation.

These stadiums may be smaller in size, but they play a huge role in the creation of some unforgettable cricketing experiences. 

This proves that in cricket, it’s not always about the size. These venues carry stories, history, and passion on their soil.