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MA Chidambaram Stadium commonly known by fans as Chepauk Stadium is a cricket stadium located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. This historic stadium has witnessed countless thrilling matches and unforgettable moments.
MA Chidambaram Stadium is the second oldest cricket stadium in India after the Eden Gardens of Kolkata. The stadium was established in 1916 and was formerly known as Madras Cricket Club Ground. The stadium was later named after Muthiah Annamalai Chidambaram former head of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and former president of BCCI.
It is the home ground for the Tamil Nadu State cricket team and Chennai Super Kings for the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Ground Information
| Established | 1916 |
| Capacity | 33,500 |
| End Names | Anna Pavilion End, V Pattabhiraman Gate End |
| Floodlight | 4 |
| Owner | TamilNadu Cricket Association |
| Stands | Upper Tier A, B, C – East Upper Tier D, E, F – North Upper Tier G, H, I – West Lower Bowl A, B, C – East Lower Bowl D, E, F – North Lower Bowl G, H, I – West AC Box A, B, C – East AC Box Level D, E, F – North AC Box Level G, H, I – West |
International Match Information
| First Test | India vs England 10 February 1934 |
| First ODI | India vs Australia 09 October 1987 |
| First T20I | India vs New Zealand 11 September 2012 |
| Only Women Test | India vs West Indies 7 November 1976 |
| First WODI | India vs Australia 23 February 1984 |
| First WT20I | England vs Pakistan 23 March 2016 |
History of MA Chidambaram Cricket Stadium | Chepauk Stadium History
MA Chidambaram Stadium is located across the famous Chepauk Palace which was the official residence of the Nawab of Arcot from 1768 to 1855. The current Stadium site was a part of the palace ground.
The Chepauk Palace was later acquired by the Madras Presidency in an auction for a winning bid of ₹589,000 in the year 1859. The permission to build a pavilion on the palace ground was granted to the Madras Cricket Club (MCC) by the state government and the pavilion was ready in 1866.
Chepauk Stadium was established in 1916 and is the second oldest cricket stadium in the country after Eden Gardens still conducting international matches to date. Bombay Gymkhana is the first but is not currently used for international matches.
Renovation of MA Chidambaram Cricket Stadium | Chepauk Stadium Renovation
In June 2010 eyeing the 2011 Cricket World Cup reconstruction work of the stadium was planned with a budget planning of ₹175 crore.
Hopkins Architects, London, and Nataraj & Venkat Architects, Chennai were approached and contracted by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association for the renovation work which included the construction of three new concrete reinforced stands designated I, J, and, K which were planned to accommodate 12,000 seats and 24 hospitality boxes with translucent light PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) membrane roofs which are non-wetting, high density and resistant to high temperature.
The stands were designed at a gradient of 36 deg to let the sea breeze into the ground to get the ground’s traditional swing back. The renovation work was completed in 2011 and the old roofing pillars which often disturbed the viewers by blocking their view were replaced by the lightweight quad conical roofing held by cables.
Three Stands of Chepauk Closed & Re-opened | MA Chidambaram Stadium Stand Controversy
After the 2011 World Cup, the three newly constructed stands I, J, and K were sealed and not used due to a legal issue.
On 31st March 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that the parts of the newly renovated violated the regulations related to public safety and that the parts of the stadium that violated the regulations must be demolished and proper planning and permissions to be sought from the municipal authorities and until then the stands I, J, and K will be sealed for the spectators.
In December 2021, the Madras Cricket Club (MCC) gymnasium was demolished to create an 8-meter setback space between K-stands and MCC Clubhouse.
On March 17 2023 after the completion of the demolition work, the stands were reopened under the authorities which have a seating capacity of total 12,000 seats with each stand having a max capacity of 4,000. After a long time, the Chepauk Stadium will be available 100% for the public.
Cheapuk Stadium Lease Contract
There is also an issue of the land of the Chepauk stadium. The total area of the stadium spread under 7,52,000 sq ft is under a lease agreement between the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and the State Government.
In 2015 the tenure for the lease was lapsed and the TNCA did not receive any notification from the government to renew the contract.
However, after a meeting between Srinivasan and Palaniswamy, the association in 2019 got the lease contract extended for 21 years from 2015.
MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai Pitch Report | Chepauk Stadium Pitch Report
The pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium is unique and a notable feature of the ground. The pitch here is basically dry and hard. Here we can hardly see grass on this track making it a heaven for spinners.
On this pitch, it is easy to bat at the first innings but as the match progresses the pitch here starts to erode and spinners will get even more help making it more difficult for the batsmen to time their shots.
In Test and ODI cricket the pitch starts to develop cracks due to the footmarks of the bowlers and as the game progresses the pitch erodes making it a spinner’s paradise. Hence the team winning the toss here will most probably choose to bat first and set a target and defend.
Cricket World Cup Matches at MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai
The stadium has been part of three editions of the Cricket World Cup namely in 1987, 1996, and 2011.
The Stadium hosted 2matches in the 1987 Cricket World Cup and just one match in the 1996 Edition. In the 2011 World Cup, the stadium hosted a total of 4 matches making the overall World Cup matches count on this stadium to 7.
The list of World Cup Matches hosted in this stadium is as follows.
1987 ICC Cricket World Cup
- Australia vs India
- Australia vs Zimbabwe
1996 ICC Cricket World Cup
- New Zealand vs Australia
2011 ICC Cricket World Cup
- Kenya vs New Zealand
- England vs South Africa
- England vs West Indies
- India vs West Indies
In addition to this, the stadium also hosted a semi-final match in the 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
1997 WOMEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP
- New Zealand vs England
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The Roaring Crowds of Chepauk
One of the unique features of this ground is the crowd. The fans fill the stand creating an electrifying atmosphere in the stadium which brings unparalleled energy into the players and makes the experience unforgettable for the players as well as the spectators.
The crowd here has a sporting spirit irrespective of the home team. Saeed Anwar was given a standing ovation by the fans here for his outstanding 194 in 1997 which is the highest score on this ground and also the highest ODI score then, just imagine the home crowd appreciating the efforts of the rival team player it just lifts the spirit of the game.
Another instance happens to be the first test match between India and Pakistan in 1999 where Pakistan defeated India in a thriller test and the fans gave a standing ovation to the Pakistan team for their outstanding efforts to pull off a win, overwhelming Pakistan even took a lap of honour. It remains an iconic moment in the history of cricket.
Notable Moments | Memorable Matches at MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai
- The Chepauk stadium witnessed the first match of the historic Ranji Trophy. Madras and Mysore played the first match of the Ranji Trophy at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
- The first-ever test victory for team India came after 24 matches (20 years after they got test playing status by ICC) on this ground while playing against England in 1952
- India vs Australia test match on this ground in 1986 was the second test match in cricket history to end in a draw.
- Don Bradman’s record for most test centuries was broken by Sunil Gavaskar on this ground in 1983, Gavaskar registered his 30th International Test Hundred on that day surpassing Don Bradman.
- In April 2008 Virendra Sehwag scored 319 of just 278 balls against South Africa at the Chepauk Stadium which is the fastest triple century in test history and also the highest Individual score by an Indian in Test Cricket history.
- Rahul Dravid the wall of Indian Cricket reached a milestone of 10,000 test runs at the Chepauk stadium in the same match where Sehwag registered 319 against South Africa.
- Sachin the master blaster has scored a total of 876 runs in 9 test matches at the Chepauk Stadium which is his highest among all the venues in India.
- In December 2008 India successfully chased 387 runs in the fourth innings which is the highest test run chase India has successfully pulled off in test matches in India.
- On 24th February 2013, MS Dhoni scored 224 runs against Australia on this ground and became the first-ever Indian Wicket-Keeper Batsmen to score a double century in Test Cricket and also the 7th Wicket-Keeper in World Test Cricket to achieve this feat.
- On 19th December 2016, Karun Nair scored 303* in a test against England on this ground and became the 6th youngest batsman to score 300 plus runs and the 2nd Indian after Sehwag to do so.
- India declared on 759-7 against England in the same match when Karun Nair scored 300+ runs, this is team India’s highest team total.
Chepauk Stadium Test Stats
| A | B |
|---|---|
| Total Matches Played | 35 |
| First Test Match | 10/02/1934 |
| Last Test Match | 19/09/2024 |
| Matches Won by Home Side | 16 (45.71%) |
| Matches Won by Touring Side | 7 (20.00%) |
| Matches Won by Neutral Side | 0 (0.00%) |
| Matches Won Batting First | 13 (37.14%) |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 10 (28.57%) |
| Matches Won Winning Toss | 13 (37.14%) |
| Matches Won Losing Toss | 10 (28.57%) |
| Matches Drawn | 11 (31.43%) |
| Matches Tied | 1 (2.86%) |
| Average Opening Stand (Runs) | 40.54 |
| Average Runs per Wicket | 32.97 |
| Average Runs per Over | 3.02 |
| Average Score Batting First | 345 |
Chepauk Stadium ODI Stats
| A | B |
|---|---|
| Total Matches Played | 28 |
| First ODI Match | 09/10/1987 |
| Last ODI Match | 27/10/2023 |
| Matches Won by Home Side | 8 (28.57%) |
| Matches Won by Touring Side | 6 (21.43%) |
| Matches Won by Neutral Side | 13 (46.43%) |
| Matches Won Batting First | 15 (51.72%) |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 12 (41.38%) |
| Matches Won Winning Toss | 17 (58.62%) |
| Matches Won Losing Toss | 10 (34.48%) |
| Matches Tied | 0 (0.00%) |
| Matches with No Result | 1 (3.57%) |
| Average Runs per Wicket | 30.5 |
| Average Runs per Over | 5.21 |
| Average Score Batting First | 237 |
Chepauk Stadium T20I Stats
| A | B |
|---|---|
| Total Matches Played | 2 |
| First T20 Match | 11/09/2012 |
| Last T20 Match | 11/11/2018 |
| Matches Won by Home Side | 1 (50.00%) |
| Matches Won by Touring Side | 1 (50.00%) |
| Matches Won by Neutral Side | 0 (0.00%) |
| Matches Won Batting First | 1 (50.00%) |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 1 (50.00%) |
| Matches Won Winning Toss | 0 (0.00%) |
| Matches Won Losing Toss | 2 (100.00%) |
| Matches Tied | 0 (0.00%) |
| Matches with No Result | 0 (0.00%) |
| Average Runs per Wicket | 43.5 |
| Average Runs per Over | 8.7 |
| Average Score Batting First | 174 |
Chepauk Stadium Weather
CHEPAUK WEATHERMA Chidambaram Stadium Location | How to reach Chepauk Stadium | Accessibility
The Chepauk Stadium is situated near the famous Marina Beach. It takes just a few minutes to reach the stadium from the beach.
The address of the MA Chidambaram Stadium is
No. 1, Bells Road, Chepauk, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600005
Are you worried about how can I get to MA Chidambaram Stadium?
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Bus stations near MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai
| Station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Chepauk | 7 min walk |
| Ezhilagam | 10 min walk |
| Chepauk Road | 11 min walk |
| Anna Square | 13 min walk |
| Marina Beach | 14 min walk |
Metro stations near MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai
| Station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Government Estate | 9 min walk |
Railway Station near Cheapuk Stadium
| Station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Chindadripet Mrts Station | 16 min walk |
MA Chidambaram Stadium Official Website
FAQ
Q) What is the Capacity of MA Chidambaram Stadium
MA Chidambaram Stadium has a seating capacity of 33,500 seats.
Q) When was MA Chidambaram Stadium Established
The Chepauk stadium was established in the year 1916 and is the second oldest cricket stadium in India after the Eden Gardens of Kolkata.
Q) Is MA Chidambaram Stadium Batting or Bowling Pitch
The pitch at Chepauk Stadium is spinners-friendly and also assists the seamers. Batting in the first Innings is easy as the pitch is hard and dry but as the game progresses spinners will get a lot of help from the pitch as the pitch starts to erode and it becomes slow making it difficult for the batsmen to time the shots.
Q) Where is MA Chidambaram Stadium located?
The address of MA Chidambaram Stadium is “No. 1, Bells Road, Chepauk, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600005”