The BCCI has used as many as 18 venues for Check matches within the twenty first century however the home stays divided on proscribing 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 Check centres, interval. I imply, I agree (with) state associations and rotation and giving video games and all that, that’s tremendous for T20 and one-day cricket, however Check 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 sort of folks that can come to look at, crowds,” Virat Kohli had stated in 2019.
It didn’t create fairly a flutter then however it has now, particularly after two days of the second Check between India and Bangladesh had 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 sector, 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 Check matches.
Rohit Sharma, the Check captain, differed with Kohli on the subject. “If you wish to promote Check cricket, it must be performed in each a part of the nation and never limit it to only a handful of massive centres. I am fairly happy that Check cricket is being performed in locations like Dharamshala and Indore. I’m simply completely happy that we’ve got been capable of take cricket to all elements of the nation,” Rohit stated final 12 months through the residence Check collection vs Australia.
“All of the Check centres we’ve got performed in since COVID-19, the gang has been respectable. Delhi, surprisingly, had an outstanding crowd. We’re not used to seeing large crowd at large centres. So, Check cricket must be performed in every single place,” he additional defined.
Ravichandran Ashwin was requested whether or not it made extra sense to have a restricted variety of Check 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 Check centres? Most actually 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 Check 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 conversant in the circumstances. So do England.”
“They’ve choose Check 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 numerous venues for the normal format.
“Firstly, what are the advantages that Indian cricketers attain by having so many Check centres? You’ve got cricketers who come and play Check cricket from each nook and nook of this nation.
“It’s a large nation and it has triggered that kind of urgency and that kind of ardour amongst cricketers to have the ability to come and play for this nation. That may be a large optimistic.
“The second of it’s there are specific requisite components that go into making a Check match occur. Like, for the climate and the sort 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 Check matches?
India-Check-match-grounds
For the reason that flip of the century, India have performed 112 Check matches at residence – profitable 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 in opposition to 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, Check matches had 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 way in which with seven matches handed out to them by the board. Kolkata, Chennai and Ahmedabad had 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 Check 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 numerous bilateral fixtures performed within the nation to maintain the varied state associations in good humour. Other than the rotation, the climate circumstances additionally play a task in deciding venues for the house fixtures.
How do England and Australia evaluate?
Compared to India, England and Australia have saved their Check 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, Previous 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 Check 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).
