Everything to Know about the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is a cricket stadium in Bangalore, Karnataka, that was built in 1969 and can hold up to 40,000 spectators. It is the home stadium of the Karnataka cricket team and the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The locals also get to see regular international cricket as the stadium often hosts ODIs and test cricket. If you want to find out more about this wonderful sporting venue, please feel free to keep on reading.
The History of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
Thanks to a generous donation from the Karnataka government, this stadium’s foundation stone was laid down in 1969 and the construction work started the following year. When construction was finished, it was called the Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium, but it was eventually renamed to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to honour the former President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. He was also involved in Karnataka cricket for nearly four decades. Although he appreciated the thought, he actually didn’t want the stadium to be named after him.
The first test match was played at this stadium in 1974 when India took on the West Indies. This was a debut match for the great Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards and the West Indies, captained by Clive Lloyd, went on to win the match by a huge 256 runs. India’s first test win on this ground was against Tony Greig’s England in 1976. The first time this venue saw an ODI match was in 1982, when India took on Sri Lanka. The home side went on to win the game by six wickets. In 1996, floodlights were installed at the stadium in preparation for the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
The first match that took place here under lights was the quarter-final match between India and their fierce rivals Pakistan. India went on to book their place in the semi-final thanks to a 39-run win. However, they collapsed in their next match at Eden Gardens, and the game had to be abandoned due to a crowd riot. The match was awarded to Sri Lanka. However, this wasn’t the first World Cup match that was played at this stadium. That was a group stage match between India and New Zealand at the 1987 edition of the tournament. India scored 252/7 from their 50 overs and went on to win the match by 15 runs. They went on to be knocked out by England in the semi-final.
In 2000, the BBCI decided that Bengaluru was the best place to have the National Cricket Academy, meaning that many great Indian cricketers have passed through the academy that is housed at this stadium. The Karnataka State Cricket Association planned to increase the capacity of this stadium to 70,000, but this hasn’t happened as of yet. However, it is the first stadium in the world that uses solar panels to create most of the electricity that is needed to keep it running. For the IPL’s first season, the stadium was painted in yellow and red as these are the colours that are associated with the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the colours of the Karnataka flag.
As of October 2019, there have been 22 test matches, 24 ODIs and 7 T20Is at this stadium.
What Noticeable Games Have Been Played at This Stadium?
- England V Ireland in 2011: This was a Group Stage match at the 2011 World Cup. England went into the match as firm favourites and scored a pretty solid 327/8 from their 50 overs thanks to a 92 from Jonathan Trott. Many believed that this would be too much for Ireland, but Kevin O’Brien thought otherwise. He struck a brutal 113 runs from 63 balls and helped to see his side home with 5 balls to spare. This was one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.
- India V England in 2011: This was also a Group Stage match at the 2011 World Cup. India scored 338 in their innings thanks to a century from Sachin Tendulkar. In reply, Andrew Strauss struck 158 runs and the match ended in a tie as England also finished on 338
- India V Afghanistan in 2018: This was a noticeable game because it was Afghanistan’s first test match. However, it didn’t go as well as the visitors would have liked. India scored 474 in their first innings thanks to a century from Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay. In reply, Afghanistan were bowled out for 109, forced to follow-on, and then bowled out for 103 to lose the match by a staggering innings and 262 runs.
- India V Pakistan in 2007: In the third test against Pakistan, India were in deep trouble after having been reduced to 61/4. However, Yuvraj Singh and Sourav Ganguly put on a 300-run partnership to take their team to 365/5 at the end of play. However, despite these batting heroics, the match was drawn. This wasn’t too bad though as it meant that India won the series 1-0.
Here Are Some More Enjoyable Statistics
- In the aforementioned match against Pakistan in 2007, 1609 runs were scored between the two teams. This is the highest number of runs scored in one test match at this ground.
- In 2013, India played Australia in an ODI at this stadium. In their innings, India scored 383/6 thanks to a sublime 209 from Rohit Sharma. Australia replied with 326, giving the home side the win by 57 runs. In total, 709 runs were scored in this match, which is the highest number of runs scored in one ODI at this stadium. Sharma’s 209 is the highest individual ODI score at this stadium.
- Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most number of test runs scored at this venue. In the 9 matches (16 innings) that he played here, he scored 869 runs (2 centuries and 3 half-centuries) at an average of 07. He also happens to hold the record for the most number of ODI runs scored here. In the 11 matches that he played, he scored 534 runs (2 centuries and 2 half-centuries) at an average of 48.54.
- Pakistan’s Younis Khan holds the record for the highest individual test score at this stadium. In 2005, he scored 267 runs to help his side beat India by 168
- Anil Kumble is the most successful test bowler at this stadium. In the 9 matches that he played in (16 innings), he picked up 41 wickets (4 5-wicket hauls) at an average of 53.
- Zaheer Khan has picked up the most individual ODI wickets at this stadium. In the 8 matches that he has played there, he has collected 14 wickets at an average of 85.
- Murali Muralitharan is one of the greatest bowlers that the game has ever seen, but even he had his off days. In a test match here in 1994, he conceded 179 runs from the 65 overs that he bowled. This means that he holds the record for having conceded the most runs in a single innings at this stadium. India went on to win the match by an innings and 95 runs.
- Vinay Kumar played against Australia here in an ODI in 2013, but he had a day to forget. He conceded 102 runs from the 9 overs that he bowled, meaning that he now holds the record for the most runs conceded by a bowler in an ODI at this ground.
Is It Worth Visiting This Stadium?
If you are in Karnataka and a match is scheduled to be played, then you shouldn’t think twice about purchasing a ticket. The atmosphere is always fantastic on match days and there is a friendly vibe with nobody looking for trouble. The stadium is built well, so you will be able to see all of the action, no matter where you are sitting. Some grounds in India allow visitors on non-match days, while others do not. Unfortunately, this stadium falls into the second category. In order to get a look inside, you will need to know somebody on the KSCA or try your luck with one of the security guards. If there is no match being played, then we recommend that you try and be friendly to a security guard. After all, the worst that can happen is that they turn your way.
Is It Very Easy to Get to?
You will find that most of the cricket stadiums in India are very easy to get to and the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is no exception to this rule as it is well served by buses and trains. If you want to get there by bus, then you will need to hop on the 291, K-6, 291N, or the KIAS-5. The closest station is the Mahatma Gandhi Statue station which is just a 2-minute walk from the stadium. There is also the Cubbon Park station which is just a 4-minute walk away. If you are planning on going by train, then you will need to jump on the KSR-WFD, which runs on the purple line. The metro station for the stadium is situated just a short walk away.
Once you have visited this wonderful stadium, there are a lot of other attractions close by that you really have to see. For instance, there is Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, the Bangalore Palace, the Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Cubbon Park, The Tipu’s Fort, Ulsoor Lake, and Bannerghatta National Park. When it comes to lodgings, you will be able to find exactly what you are looking for as there are so many hotels in the city that you can choose from. Whether you want a standard one or want to treat yourself, you will be able to find the best hotel for you, simply by doing a bit of research.