Tag Cricket Grounds

Do you know about a test match that was played under lights? Usually International & first class 5 day cricket matches are day game - but in 1996 - BCCI (Indian cricket board) organized the Ranji Trophy Final match as day/night.

I remember Sanjay Manjrekar playing well in that Mumbai vs Delhi match, where new ball was given after every 40 overs.. unlike test matches when new ball is available only after 80 over.

Ask about which stadium it was - Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh (means 'center state' in hindi). India vs Pakistan 'Indian-oil cup' 4th ODI will be the 11th International match here & Floodlights are ready! Day night matches here start at 2.30pm India time.

Who was Captain Roop Singh
An Indian hockey player, who won the gold medal for India at the Olympics. Full left forward player he was! This Gwalior stadium was originally a hockey stadium named after him, turned into a cricket stadium in 1980 but the name remained the same.

Records at Roop Singh stadium
Team batting first have won 7 while only thrice a target has been successfully chased! Sourav Ganguly's 153* in match #9 stays as the highest batsman score while best team total at Gwalior stadium is 289 by Pakistan in Match #7. in same Pak v Sl match, Aaqib Javed took 5 for 35 while remains as the best bowling figures at this cricket ground.


Match Tickets are generally sold through Union Bank branches around 4 days before the actual game, but readers are adviced to track the news for better information. As per stadium capacity goes - 35,000 spectators can adjust at a time at the floodlight embedded stadium where Electronic scoreboard has been installed.

One day Internationals so far

Match #10 : Ind v Aus (TVS Cup), 26 Oct 2003
Sehwag was bowled off the 3rd ball but Tendulkar & Laxman (batting at #3) scored centuries. Result - India reached 283 in their 50 overs. Aussies had just become world champions the 2nd time & proud themselves to chase down anything. Blistering Gilchrist & mighty Hayden gave opening start of 132 but Indian spinner spun them around in the middle overs. India won by 37 runs.

Match #09 : Ind v NZ (3rd ODI), 11 Nov 1999
Few times you'll see a batsman scoring more than half of teams total. In this India vs New Zealand match - Sourav Ganguly scored 153 notout outoff 261 that India made. Kiwis chased hard with Scott Styris' firy 25 & Nathan Astle's 97.. but Kiwis lost the match by 14 runs.

Match #08 : Ind v Ken (Coca Cola Triseries), 28 May 1998
India, Bangladesh & Kenya played his trination series and India-Kenya match was organized by Madhya Pradesh cricket association. The only time Kenya Beat India was here when Kenya won the toss, scored 265 and pressurized Indian team to just 196 under lights! Man of the match - Maurice Udumbe, hit 5 sixes that day.

Match #07 : Pak v SL (Independence Cup), 12 Mar 1997
India got her independence in 1947. Thus, in 1997 - she completed 50 years as independent nation. and thus - Indian cricket board has organized "Independence Cup" featuring Pakistan, Srilanka, New Zealand & host India. Pakistan vs Srilanka match was played here at Gwalior when Pakistan went on to score 289. Srilanka were 4 for 59 but faught hard in the match to lose it only by 30 runs.

Match #06 : Ind v WI (World Cup), 21 Feb 1996
West Indies believed Vinod Kambli can't play short pitch balls. Having scored just 173 in this world cup 1996 group match - Curly Ambrose tried bouncing Kambli under floodlights and the left-hander hit him for a six over square leg.. that remains one of best onedayer shot Vinod Kambli played in his short career. India won by 5 wickets.

Match #05 : Ind v Eng (5th ODI), 5 Mar 1993
One day after the below match - England & India were back to Captain Roop Singh cricket stadium for the 5th one day International of the 1993 tour by Englishmen. Kapil Dev again opted for bowling. Greame Hick was the batsman of the series, and scored 105 notout, propelling England to commanding 265.. But India, confident of last match chase - overhauled the target inside 47 overs with Azharuddin (95 off 63), Sidhu (73) and tendulkar contributing 34. India won by 4 wickets.

Match #04 : Ind v Eng (4th ODI), 4 Mar 1993
England had a pace trio of Phil de-freitas, Malcom Marshal and Chirs Lewis in those days. not exposing his batsman to early morning swing - Captain Kapil Dev opted to bowl first & finished England for 256 off the last ball. Never a great chasing side - India had just two batsman (Sidhu 134 & Tendulkar 74) and the extras (19) as double figure contribution but won the match alright! by 3 wickets.

Match #03 : Ind v SA (2nd ODI), 12 Nov 1991
Gwalior was fast getting International matches & captain's were opting to bat first. Mohammad Azharuddin - then Indian captain, opted for batting (after rain delay) against touring South Africa & posted 223 on board. in 45 overs. While chasing - South African problem against spinner (V.Raju) helped India win by 48 runs. Kepller Wessels (71 off 96) was adjudged man of the match even though his team lost!

Match #02 : Eng v WI (MRF Cup), 27th Oct 1989
Less than a year after Roop Singh stadium hosted 1st ODI, windies team came back to play England in MRF World Series or Nehru Cup. England were the opponents who chased the target of 265 confidently. 239 they made & England lost by 26 runs.

Match #01 : Ind v WI '6th ODI', 22nd Jan 1988
Teams that tour India, move to all lengths & breaths of our nation. West Indies, in 1998, landed in to Gwalior for the inaugural match here. They batted first & piled up 278 with Carl Hooper's 113 not out. from 4 for 15 to 6 for 94 - Indian team bundled out for just 205 & West Indies won by 73 runs.