Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

Hyderabad Cricket Stadium
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium
Ground information
Location	Uppal, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Coordinates	17°24′23″N 78°33′01″E / 17.40639°N 78.55028°E / 17.40639; 78.55028
Establishment	2003
Capacity	55,000
Owner	Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA)
Architect	Shashi Prabhu[1]
Operator	Hyderabad Cricket Association
Tenants	Indian Cricket Team Hyderabad cricket team Sunrisers Hyderabad
End names
Shiv Lal Yadav End VVS Laxman End
International information
First Test	12 November 2010:  India v  New Zealand
Last Test	12 October 2018:  India v  West Indies
First ODI	16 November 2005:  India v  South Africa
Last ODI	18 January 2023:  India v  New Zealand
First T20I	13 October 2017:  India v  Australia
Last T20I	25 September 2022:  India v  Australia
As of 18 January 2023 Source: ESPN Cricinfo

The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, also colloquially known as Hyderabad Cricket Stadium is a cricket stadium in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Located in the eastern suburb of Uppal, it has a maximum capacity of 55,000 and extends across 15 acres of land. It serves as the home ground for the Hyderabad Cricket Association and the Indian Premier League team Sunrisers Hyderabad. As of 18 January 2023, it has hosted 5 Tests, 7 ODIs, and 3 T20Is. This stadium hosted the opener and final of 2017 Indian Premier League, and also the final of 2019 Indian Premier League.

It is named after the former prime minister of India Rajiv Gandhi.

History

HCA's previous home ground was the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in the Fateh Maidan sports complex at Basheerbagh in central Hyderabad. The ground belonged to the Sports Authority of Telangana State and HCA had limited operating autonomy over this ground.

Moreover, due to its smaller size, it soon came to be known as a high-scoring ground and so Hyderabad was not considered for many high-profile cricket matches in India.

In 2003, the proposal for a new stadium was submitted by HCA to the government of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, then headed by N. Chandrababu Naidu. The proposal was quickly cleared and HCA was allocated a budget for the same. The government also identified a large piece of land suitable for the project at Uppal.

Most of the funding for the project came after an open auction of the stadium's title was held. Visaka Industries Limited won the auction with a bid price of ₹65,00,00,000. A sum of ₹43,00,00,000 was paid in advance and the stadium was named Visakha International Cricket Stadium in 2004.

By 2005 when most of the stadium was built, it was ready to host its first ODI Match between India and South Africa. However, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh(before the separation of Telangana) decided to change the name of the stadium to Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in memory of the former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi.

Following this decision, HCA was required to pay Visakha Industries six times the contract price in accordance with the contract clauses governing any subsequent renaming of the stadium or the Visakha name not remaining attached to the stadium. HCA however, following some negotiations by Govt, got away with paying an amount of ₹43,00,00,000, i.e. the contract price only.

The ends are named Pavilion End and North End. On the retirement of VVS Laxman, the HCA decided to honor the veteran by naming the North End after him.^{[citation needed]}

Stats and records

Matches Hosted

• Test — 5
• ODI — 7
• T20I — 3

Records

• Bangladesh played their first ever test in India at this venue since they got their test status in 2000 when Bangladesh toured India in 2017.
• This ground is set to host its first ICC World Cup match in October 2023 although not hosting a match for host(s) India.

Ground capacity and factors

• The stadium extends across 16 acres (6.5 ha) and has a seating capacity of 45,000 spectators. The ends are Pavilion End and North End (V.V.S. Laxman end).
• A stand was named after Newly appointed Hyderabad Cricket Association President Mohammad Azharuddin and opened on 6 December 2019.
• Floodlights are mounted on six towers to illuminate the stadium during day-night matches having been commissioned in April 2007.
• The wicket here is considered a flat track, with a reputation of being a batsman-friendly and high-scoring pitch.^{[by whom?]}

A Panoramic view of Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

Franchise cricket

Sunrisers Hyderabad is a cricket franchise based in Hyderabad city. The team is owned by Kalanithi Maran of the Sun TV Network. Aiden Markram is the captain of the team. Brian Lara is the head coach and Simon Helmot is the assistant coach of the team. Dale Steyn and Muttiah Muralitharan are the bowling coaches of the team. The team won the 2016 IPL. So far this stadium is served as the home ground of the Sunrisers and now defunct franchise Deccan Chargers.

Its official jersey was unveiled on 8 March 2013, and the team anthem directed by GV Prakash Kumar was released on 12 March 2013. Their logo was unveiled on 20 December 2012, along with the announcement that the team's management would be led by Kris Srikkanth, Tom Moody, and VVS Laxman.

In IPL 2019, Hyderabad Cricket Association won the award for best ground and pitch.

Records

• Highest Total: 231/2 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. RCB, 31 March 2019
• Highest Individual Score: 126 – David Warner, Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. KKR, 30 April 2017
• Best Bowling Figures: 6/12 – Alzarri Joseph, Mumbai Indians vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad, 6 April 2019

Alzarri Joseph's bowling figures of 6 for 12 are the best recorded in any IPL match. ^[3]

Test cricket

It was the 101st venue for Test matches in world cricket.^[4]

Stadium records

• Umesh Yadav recorded his first 10 wicket haul in his Test career at this ground on 12 October 2018 against West Indies.
• Ravichandran Ashwin recorded the first 10-wicket haul in Tests at this ground on 23 August 2012 against New Zealand.

Test matches records

Most career runs[5] Runs Player Nationality Period 535 (5 Innings) Cheteshwar Pujara  India 2012-2018 379 (4 Innings) Virat Kohli  India 2012-2018 293 (4 Innings) Brendon McCullum  New Zealand 2010-2012 282 (3 Innings) Murali Vijay  India 2013-2017 203 (4 Innings) Virender Sehwag  India 2010-2013 157 (4 Innings) Kane Williamson  New Zealand 2010-2012

Highest individual score[6] Runs Player Nationality Year 225 vs India Brendon McCullum  New Zealand 2010 204 vs Bangladesh Virat Kohli  India 2017 204 vs Australia Cheteshwar Pujara  India 2013 167 vs Australia Murali Vijay  India 2013 159 vs New Zealand Cheteshwar Pujara  India 2012 127 vs India Mushfiqur Rahim  Bangladesh 2017 111* vs New Zealand Harbhajan Singh  India 2010 108 vs Bangladesh Murali Vijay  India 2017 106* vs Bangladesh Wriddhiman Saha  India 2017 106 vs India Roston Chase West Indies 2018 102 vs India Tim McIntosh  New Zealand 2010

One-day international cricket

Stadium records

• Australia had scored 350/4, it is the highest score at the stadium.
• England had scored 174, it is the lowest score at the stadium.
• Yuvraj Singh's 233 scored in three matches is the most of runs scored at the stadium.
• Shubman Gill's 208 is the highest individual score at the stadium.
• Sachin Tendulkar completed 17,000 ODI runs, made his 45th ODI century and received his 60th ODI Man of the match award.
• 697 runs made for the loss of 14 wickets in one match.
• India completed its 500th ODI win at this venue in 2019.

One day international records

Most career runs[8] Runs Player Team Period 233 (3 Innings) Yuvraj Singh  India 2005-2009 220 (3 Innings) Sachin Tendulkar  India 2005-2009 208 (1 Innings) Shubman Gill  India 2023 202 (5 Innings) MS Dhoni  India 2005-2019 142 (4 Innings) Virat Kohli  India 2011-2023 138 (3 Innings) Suresh Raina  India 2009-2014

Highest Individual Scores[9] Runs Player Team Year 208 vs New Zealand Shubman Gill  India 2023 175 vs Australia Sachin Tendulkar  India 2009 140 vs India Michael Bracewell  New Zealand 2023 121 vs Australia Yuvraj Singh  India 2007 118 vs India Mahela Jayawardene  Sri Lanka 2014 112 vs India Shaun Marsh  Australia 2009 103 vs South Africa Yuvraj Singh  India 2005

Most centuries[10] Centuries Player Team Period 2 (3 Innings) Yuvraj Singh  India 2005-2009 1 (3 Innings) Sachin Tendulkar  India 2005-2009 1 (1 Innings) Shaun Marsh  Australia 2009 1 (1 Innings) Mahela Jayawardene  Sri Lanka 2014 1 (1 Innings) Michael Bracewell  New Zealand 2023 1 (1 Innings) Shubman Gill  India 2023

Category	Information
Highest Innings Total	Australia  Australia 350/4 - India v Australia, 1 innings, 5 Nov 2009
Lowest Innings Total	England  England 174 - 2 innings, 14 Oct 2011
Highest Individual Score	Shubman Gill  India 208 (Balls:149 4x19 6x9) - India v New Zealand, 18 Jan 2023
Best Bowling in a Match	Mohammed Siraj  India 4/46 (10 overs) - India v New Zealand, 18 January 2023
Most Runs	Yuvraj Singh  India 233 Runs (Mat:3 Inn:3 HS:121 Ave:77.66 SR:94.33 100x2 50x0)
Most Wickets	UT Yadav India 6 Wickets (Mat:2 Runs:85 Best:4/53 Ave:14.16 Econ:6.07)

T-20 Internationals

The ground was scheduled to host its first-ever Twenty20 International on 13 October 2017, against Australia. However, it was called off due to a wet outfield.^[11]

The ground finally hosted a Twenty20 International on 6 December 2019, against West Indies. It was a high-scoring match, with India winning the match by 6 wickets. Team India played the 3rd T20 against Australia on September 25th, 2022, at this venue. India won by 6 wickets and won the Mastercard T20I trophy against Australia. Surya Kumar Yadav who scored 69 runs (36 balls) is awarded the Player of the Match.^[12]

Stadium records

• 27 sixes were witnessed in one match, it's the most sixes in a T20I game in India
• 416 runs were scored in one match for the loss of 9 wickets.
• K. L. Rahul reached his 1000 runs milestone in a T20I at this venue.

Twenty20 international records

Most career runs at this ground[13]
Runs	Player	Team	Period
157 (3 Innings)	Virat Kohli	India	2019-2022
63 (2 Innings)	K. L. Rahul	India	2019-2023
69 (1 Innings)	Suryakumar Yadav	India	2022