The BCCI has used as many as 18 venues for Take a look at matches within the twenty first century however the home stays divided on limiting the purest format to fewer centres within the nation.
“We have been discussing this for a very long time now, and in my view, we must always have 5 Take a look at centres, interval. I imply, I agree (with) state associations and rotation and giving video games and all that, that’s fantastic for T20 and one-day cricket, however Take a look at cricket, groups coming to India ought to know, ‘we’ll play at these 5 centres, these are the pitches we’ll count on, these are the form of folks that can come to look at, crowds,” Virat Kohli had stated in 2019.
It didn’t create fairly a flutter then nevertheless it has now, particularly after two days of the second Take a look at between India and Bangladesh have been deserted with out a ball bowled. This was when there was no rain to disturb cricket with the Inexperienced Park Stadium in Kanpur discovered missing in sufficient drainage amenities.
As each groups stayed of their lodge and twiddled their thumbs as an alternative of testing the opposition on the sphere, the controversy grew about whether or not it made extra sense for Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI) to have devoted venues for Take a look at matches.
Rohit Sharma, the Take a look at captain, differed with Kohli on the subject. “If you wish to promote Take a look at cricket, it must be performed in each a part of the nation and never limit it to only a handful of huge centres. I am fairly happy that Take a look at cricket is being performed in locations like Dharamshala and Indore. I’m simply pleased that we now have been capable of take cricket to all elements of the nation,” Rohit stated final 12 months throughout the house Take a look at sequence vs Australia.
“All of the Take a look at centres we now have performed in since COVID-19, the gang has been respectable. Delhi, surprisingly, had an excellent crowd. We’re not used to seeing big crowd at huge centres. So, Take a look at cricket must be performed in all places,” he additional defined.
Ravichandran Ashwin was requested whether or not it made extra sense to have a restricted variety of Take a look at venues. The off-spinner opted to sidestep the query whereas saying it was ‘above my pay grade’.
“Does it assist a participant when you have just some Take a look at centres? Most definitely it does,” Ashwin stated after India beat Bangladesh 2-0 on Tuesday regardless of a truncated contest.
“As a result of after we go to Australia, they play India solely at 5 Take a look at centres. They do not play us in Canberra. They do not play us at any of the opposite venues the place they will not be very aware of the situations. So do England.”
“They’ve choose Take a look at centres and that is the place they play. A few of these are solely white-ball centres. Can we do it right here (in India)? That is above my pay grade. I can’t touch upon that,” the Participant of the Collection stated.
Ashwin did, nonetheless, argue that cricket advantages by having varied venues for the standard format.
“Firstly, what are the advantages that Indian cricketers attain by having so many Take a look at centres? You’ve got cricketers who come and play Take a look at cricket from each nook and nook of this nation.
“It’s a big nation and it has triggered that form of urgency and that form of ardour amongst cricketers to have the ability to come and play for this nation. That could be a huge optimistic.
“The second of it’s there are particular requisite elements that go into making a Take a look at match occur. Like, for the climate and the form of drainage that we want to have the ability to make investments on. These are no-brainers,” he added.
The place do India play their Take a look at matches?
India-Take a look at-match-grounds
For the reason that flip of the century, India have performed 112 Take a look at matches at house – successful 71, shedding 13 and drawing 28. The matches have been performed at 18 totally different grounds all through the nation with Eden Gardens in Kolkata internet hosting probably the most variety of matches, 12 Exams, leading to 8 wins, 3 attracts and a solitary loss.
It’s adopted by IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru (11 Exams) and MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai (10 Exams) with Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi and Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai taking part in host to 9 Exams every.
On the different finish, Brabourne Stadium has hosted only one sport, in 2009 towards Sri Lanka, with two every for Maharashtra Cricket Affiliation Stadium in Pune and Himachal Pradesh Cricket Affiliation Stadium in Dharamsala.
Within the first decade of the century, Take a look at matches have been unfold out throughout 11 grounds within the nation. There have been contests in Mohali, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Kanpur, Brabourne (Mumbai) and Hyderabad.
Mohali, Bengaluru and Nagpur led the best way with seven matches handed out to them by the board. Kolkata, Chennai and Ahmedabad have been proper behind on six every.
In lower than a decade-and-half since, the variety of venues has elevated to 16. Going past the above-mentioned 11, six extra grounds have emerged in Visakhapatnam, Indore, Ranchi, Rajkot, Dharamsala and Pune. Brabourne, in the meantime, has not hosted a match since 2009.
Solely Hyderabad has seen an uptick over the twenty years with 4 extra Exams coming to them in 2011-2024 as in comparison with 2000-2010. Others have both remained the identical or seen a minor drop apart from Nagpur and Mohali who’ve hosted three matches fewer. 16 Take a look at matches have gone to the newer centres.
Why India rotates centres
It is an unwritten rotation coverage that the Indian cricket board follows whereas allocating fixtures to venues for varied bilateral fixtures performed within the nation to maintain the assorted state associations in good humour. Aside from the rotation, the climate situations additionally play a job in deciding venues for the house fixtures.
How do England and Australia examine?
Compared to India, England and Australia have saved their Take a look at matches to 9 and 10 venues respectively within the twenty first century.
England’s Exams have been held at Lord’s (46 matches), The Oval (23), Edgbaston (20), Headingley, Outdated Trafford, Trent Bridge (19). Riverside Floor, The Rose Bowl (6) and Sophia Gardens (3) are decrease down the order however haven’t hosted any matches since 2016, 2020 and 2015 respectively.
Australia’s Take a look at matches have largely been hosted at Sydney Cricket Floor (26), Adelaide Oval, Brisbane, Melbourne Cricket Floor (23) and Perth (20). There have additionally been matches at Hobart (9), Cairns, Darwin (2), and Canberra (1).
