Table of Contents
Small cricket grounds can add an intimate atmosphere and many feel that they are very special. Here are the smallest cricket grounds in India.
Which is the Smallest Cricket Stadium in India?
The smallest cricket stadium in India is the Greater Noida Complex Ground. Opened in 2013, the capacity of the ground is tiny, in comparison to other international venues, at 8,000. It has been a home for the Afghanistan national team but lost its international status after hosting a private outdoor league.
Smallest Cricket Stadiums – by Number of Seats
1 – Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground
Greater Noida’s international stadium has yet to be used by India, but the Afghanistan national side has played a handful of ODIs and T20is here.
When the stadium was in its planning stages, there were high hopes and proposals that the capacity would be much greater. Initial numbers of 40,000 were mentioned but the venue eventually opened in 2013 with the much more modest figure of 8,000.
2 – Brabourne Stadium
The Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai was used extensively in the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League, but it is small in comparison to others. The capacity at that time was confirmed at 20,000.
While it’s one of the smallest grounds in India, there’s lots of history and it’s also an international venue. The Brabourne opened in 1937 and the first test match here was played between India and West Indies in 1948. All three formats of international cricket have now been hosted at this ground.
3 – Sawai Mansingh Stadium
Located in Jaipur, the Sawai Mansingh Stadium has been a long-time home of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. It was opened in 1969 and the official capacity of this ground is 30,000.
There haven’t been too many international games here and the Sawai Mansingh Stadium’s only test match to date was between India and Pakistan in 1987. The last ODI took place in 2013 while T20i cricket was hosted more recently.
4 – Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy International Cricket Stadium
It opened its doors to paying customers in 2003 and the Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam has a capacity of 27,000. The design, which sets out to remove any seats with a restricted view, has kept that capacity down to a modest level.
Despite its lack of size, the Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy International Cricket Stadium has hosted international games for both India’s men and women. The first men’s game to be played here was a T20i between India and New Zealand and the ground remains on the international circuit to this day.
5 – Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium
Known colloquially as the HPCA, the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium was opened in 2003 and the capacity in the present day is listed at 23,000. Unlike a lot of grounds on the ‘small’ list, this venue has been used for IPL cricket with the Punjab Kings hosting games here.
The HPCA also finds itself on the international circuit. India’s men have played a solitary test against Australia in 2017. ODIs and T20is have also been hosted and the ground has been used by India’s women in the past.
6 – Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium
Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium will be far more familiar to cricket watchers outside of India. Opened in 2003, it has a maximum capacity of 55,000 but this can often be restricted for smaller domestic games.
The Rajiv Gandhi is a regular home for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. India’s national teams are also regular visitors with international cricket having first been played here in 2005. In the present day, all three international forms of cricket are hosted by this intimate, yet impressive stadium.
7 – Inderjit Singh Bindra Stadium
Occasionally known as the Mohali Stadium, the Inderjit Singh Bindra Stadium opened its doors in 1993. It’s therefore one of the older grounds on this list and its official capacity comes in at 27,000.
Punjab Kings have played here too, and the ground hosted the Indian Premier League during its debut season of 2008. International cricket first arrived at the Inderjit Singh Bindra Stadium in 1993 when India hosted the West Indies in an ODI.
A test match was played here as recently as 2022 and international games continue in all formats for both men and women.
8 – Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium
It’s also known as the Khandheri Stadium, and it’s situated in Rajkot. The Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium was first opened in 2008 and it has an official capacity of 28,000. On the domestic front, it is host to the Saurashtra cricket team and it’s also been a venue for the Gujarat Lions who were a temporary Indian Premier League franchise in 2016 and 2017.
Like most of the grounds on this list, the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium has also hosted international cricket. The first game to take place in these surroundings was an ODI between India and England in 2013.
All three forms of the game continue to be played here in an intimate stadium which boasts an impressive backdrop.
9 – Holkar Stadium
Opened in 1990, the Holkar Stadium was previously known as the Maharani Usharaje Trust Cricket Ground. It’s a venue with some history and its official capacity is a modest, but respectable 30,000.
The playing surface is also small and fast scoring. Virender Sehwag scored one of the few double hundreds in an ODI here. The first ever international game to be played here was a test match between India and New Zealand in 2016. It’s not guaranteed that the Holkar Stadium will be used for international tours, but it will occasionally be on the circuit for limited overs fixtures.
10 – Wankhede Stadium
All cricket fans across the world will be very familiar with the Wankhede Stadium. Situated in Mumbai, it’s been a home for the Indian national team and the Mumbai Indians for many years.
The Wankhede was opened in 1974 and it first held a test match a year later when India hosted the West Indies. At that time, the capacity was much bigger than it is now, and the stadium could hold up to 55,000 people.
It stayed that way for the next 35 years but, when India won the rights to host the 2011 ODI World Cup, changes needed to be made. After the necessary renovations were put in place, the capacity of the Wankhede Stadium was reduced to 33,108.
Smallest International Cricket Stadium by Ground Size
The Feroz Shah Kotla Ground in Delhi is the smallest ground in India in terms of its overall size. The playing area is measured at just 65 yards and the spectators are hosted in a small area around the surface. The official capacity is 41,820 and, as of 2022, this venue is now known as the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Conclusion
While it’s interesting to look through this list, it’s also worth noting that the numbers should be put into context. Those grounds with a capacity of around 25,000 are still bigger than most international stadiums around the world.
It shows just how fanatical Indian supporters are because their smaller grounds are still larger than those in other countries. The atmosphere is electric inside those stadiums and the smaller nature may even add to a more thrilling atmosphere.
