Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium: Delhi's Cricketing Legacy

Delhi is the capital of India and is at the centre of all cricketing action in the country. It has also produced some of the best players who have played for the Indian Cricket Team. Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Shikhar Dhawan, Chetan Sharma, Akash Chopra and many others. At the heart of all this is Delhi’s very own Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium, previously known as the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, one of the oldest grounds in India. This is where Anil Kumble’s legendary feat took place, the 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan took place.

Credit: Wikipedia

In this article by ZAP, let’s know more about the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in Delhi, its history, the pitch report and the stadium records.

From Feroz Shah Kotla to Arun Jaitley Stadium – The History of this Ground:

The Arun Jaitley Stadium is one of the oldest cricket grounds in India, dating back to 1883. The stadium's old name, Feroz Shah Kotla comes from the Fort Kotla, which was constructed by Ferozeshah Tughluq, the emperor of Delhi in the fourteenth century, which encircles the stadium. It was renamed to its current name after the demise of the Indian politician Arun Jaitley who also held the post of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) as its president for some time. Known for hosting iconic matches and home to cricket legends, the stadium underwent modernization during Jaitley's tenure as DDCA President. The Indian team holds an impressive 37-year unbeaten record in Test matches at this venue, adding to the stadium's rich history.

Also Read: Oldest Cricket Ground in India - Eden Gardens Stadium

Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium Size, Capacity and Boundary Length:

Credit: Twitter

The Delhi Cricket Ground has one of the smallest boundaries in a stadium in India and is a batting paradise. Even the edges can fly off beyond the boundary ropes. The square boundary length of the Arun Jaitley cricket ground measures approximately 65 metres, while the straight boundaries are approximately 68 metres. Though the size of the ground is considerably small, it has a decent stadium capacity. The capacity of the Arun Jaitley Stadium is about 35,200 seated spectators. This stadium also has multiple stands named after retired cricket players. The stadium's four stands have the names of former Indian captain Bishan Singh Bedi, former all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath, and former opener for Delhi, Gautam Gambhir. The dressing rooms for the home and away teams were named for Raman Lamba and Prakash Bhandari, respectively. The Stadium End and the Pavilion End are the two bowling ends at this ground.

Also Read: Largest Stadium in the World - Narendra Modi Stadium

Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium – Pitch Report, Weather and Ground Conditions:

Credit: The SportsRush

The cricket pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium is considered to be a batting friendly pitch and with the shorter boundaries, the ground is truly made for the batsmen to dominate in the limited overs game. But there are some complexities too and as the pitch gets drier it starts supporting the spin bowling. The venue also has a dark history due to its pitch condition. An India vs. Sri Lanka ODI match on December 27, 2009, was cancelled due to unplayable pitch conditions. The International Cricket Council (ICC) issued a 12-month ban on the ground based on the match referee's report.

Best Moments at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi:

1952: Hemu Adhikari and Ghulam Ahmed's Record Tenth Wicket Stand

In a match against Pakistan, Hemu Adhikari and Ghulam Ahmed achieved a remarkable feat by putting up a record tenth-wicket stand of 111 runs. This partnership remains a record for the highest tenth-wicket stand in Test matches and has stood the test of time.

1965: S Venkataraghavan's Debut Brilliance

Making his debut in 1965, S Venkataraghavan showcased his talent by demolishing the New Zealand batting lineup. His outstanding bowling figures of 8 for 72 and 4 for 80 played a crucial role in India's success in that series.

1983: Sunil Gavaskar Equals Don Bradman's Record

Sunil Gavaskar, in 1983, equalled Sir Don Bradman's then-record tally of 29 Test centuries by hitting his 29th ton at the Delhi Cricket Stadium.

1999: Anil Kumble's Perfect 10

Anil Kumble created history in 1999 by taking all 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan, becoming only the second bowler to achieve this remarkable feat after Jim Laker.

2005: Sachin Tendulkar Breaks Sunil Gavaskar's Record

In December 2005, Sachin Tendulkar etched his name in history by scoring his 35th Test century against Sri Lanka at this stadium. This century broke Sunil Gavaskar's record for the most Test centuries, highlighting Tendulkar's enduring greatness in the sport.

The Home Ground of the Delhi Capitals:

Credit: News18

The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi is the home ground of the Delhi Capitals. The stadium has a batting surface with a quick outfield. Initially in IPL matches, there will be support for the fast bowlers, but as the surface dries up, spinners will also be useful. The average first innings score here remains around 165. What’s surprising to know is that Delhi does not have a good home record by any means. They have an extremely poor home record, winning less than 50% of games played at their venue. They have played 76 games at their home ground, winning only 32 and losing 43.

Arun Jaitley Stadium Cricket Records:

Test Records:

First Test Match: 10/11/1948

Total Test Matches Played: 35

Highest Team Innings: 644/8 dec by West Indies vs. India on 06/02/1959

Highest Individual Score: 243 by Virat Kohli vs. Sri Lanka on 02/12/2017

Best Bowling (Innings): 10/74 Anil Kumble vs. Pakistan on 04/02/1999

Best Bowling (Match): 14/149 Anil Kumble vs. Pakistan on 04/02/1999

Most Test Runs: Sachin Tendulkar - 759 runs at an average of 42.17 in 19 innings

Most Test Wickets: Anil Kumble - 58 wickets in 7 matches. 

ODI Records:

Matches Played: 31

Highest Team Total: 428/5 by South Africa vs. Sri Lanka on 07/10/2023 

Highest Individual Score: 145 by Ricky Ponting (Australia) vs. Zimbabwe on 11/04/1998

Best Bowling Figures: 6/27 by Kemar Roach (West Indies) vs. the Netherlands on 28/02/2011 

Most Runs: Sachin Tendulkar - 300 Runs at a batting average of 37.50 in 8 Innings

Most Wickets: Ravindra Jadeja - 9 wickets in 7 matches

T20I Records:

First T20 Match: 23/03/2016

T20I Matches Played: 7

Highest Team Total: 212/3 by South Africa  vs. India on 09/06/2022

Highest Individual Score: 80 runs by Rohit Sharma (India) and Shikhar Dhawan (India) vs. New Zealand on 01/11/2017 

Best Bowling Figures: 4/28 Chris Jordan (England) vs. Sri Lanka on 26/03/2016 

Most T20I Runs at the Stadium: Jason Roy (England) - 125 runs at an average of 41.67 in 3 innings with a strike rate of 138.89

Most T20I Wickets: Chris Jordan (England) - 6 wickets in 3 Matches

Arun Jaitley Stadium IPL Records:

Total Matches Played: 84

Highest Team Total: 231 by Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) vs. Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2011. 

Highest Individual Score: 128 runs by Chris Gayle (Royal Challengers Bangalore) vs Delhi Daredevils (DD) v in 2012

Best Bowling Figures: 5/13 by Lasith Malinga (Mumbai Indians) vs Delhi Daredevils in 2011

Most IPL Runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium: David Warner - 1047 runs at an average of 29.91 in 35 innings

Most Wickets at the Delhi Stadium: Amit Mishra - 58 wickets

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