Located in the eastern suburb of Uppal, it has a seating capacity of 39,200 and extends across 15 acres of land.[5] It serves as the home ground the IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad. As of 28 January 2024, it has hosted 6 Tests, 10 ODIs, and 3 T20Is. The stadium hosted the first and the final game of 2017 IPL edition, and the final of 2019 IPL. The stadium hosted its first ICC event in October 2023 during the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
It is renamed after the former prime minister of India Rajiv Gandhi.[6]
History
Before the stadium was built, HCA hosted domestic and international matches at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in the Fateh Maidan sports complex at Basheerbagh in central Hyderabad. The ground's proprietor was the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh state (Now Sports Authority of Telangana State) due to which HCA had limited authority and control over the ground, due to which it decided to built their own stadium.[6] In 2003, the proposal for a new stadium was submitted by HCA to the government[7] 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.[8]
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.[9]
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.[9][10]
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.[11]
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.[citation needed]
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.
Pakistan recorded the highest successful run chase in ICC World Cup history when they scored 345/4 chasing a target of 345 runs at this venue in CWC 2023
UT YadavIndia 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.[16]
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 25, 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.[17]
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 8 wickets.
K. L. Rahul reached his 1000 runs milestone in a T20I at this venue.
Ravichandran Ashwin recorded the first 10-wicket haul in Tests at this ground on 23 August 2012 against New Zealand.
Facelift
The stadium had been selected for renovation prior to the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup in 2023. 120 crore Indian rupees had been sanctioned (by BCCI) to carry out the work of installing canopies on both east and west stands, as well as replacing seats. However, only the east stand canopy work had been completed, and the west stand canopy work has been completed after the World Cup 2023. This is a much needed upgrade as the stadium hasn't undergone any major upgrades since 2005.
India v 
New Zealand
England
South Africa
Pakistan v 
Sri Lanka
West Indies
Australia
