 | |
 Interactive map of Niranjan Shah Stadium | |
| Ground information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Rajkot,Gujarat,India |
| Country | India |
| Establishment | 2008 |
| Capacity | 28,000 |
| Owner | Saurashtra Cricket Association |
| Operator | Saurashtra Cricket Association |
| Tenants | India national cricket team India women's national cricket team Saurashtra cricket team Saurashtra women's cricket team Gujarat Lions (defunct) |
| End names | |
| Pavilion End Media End | |
| International information | |
| First Test | 9–13 November 2016: India v England |
| Last Test | 15–18 February 2024: India v England |
| First ODI | 11 January 2013: India v England |
| Last ODI | 27 September 2023: India v Australia |
| First T20I | 10 October 2013: India v Australia |
| Last T20I | 28 January 2025: India v England |
| First WODI | 10 January 2025: India v Ireland |
| Last WODI | 15 January 2025: India v Ireland |
| As of 15 January 2025 Source:ESPNcricinfo | |
Niranjan Shah Stadium (formerly known asSaurashtra Cricket Association Stadium), also known asKhandheri Cricket Stadium, is an internationalcricket stadium inRajkot,India. It is India's second andGujarat's first solar-powered stadium.
In 2013, the first international match took place in this stadium. In the same year, it hosted its firstT20I betweenIndia andAustralia, which India won by sixwickets. In 2016, stadium hosted its firstTest, India vsEngland. The match ended in a draw. Till date this venue has hosted multiple international Tests, ODIs and T20Is. This stadium also hosted severalIPL matches during 2016-17, whenGujarat Lions opted for Rajkot as their home base.
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Initially, the stadium was being used forRanji Trophy matches, when the spectator stands were still being constructed.[1] With the stands completed, the ground can hold 28,000 people. The stadium is a part of a larger sports complex that will include venues for other sports such asbadminton,basketball, andvolleyball. It hostsSaurashtra Cricket Association matches along withMadhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground.
It is a state of the art cricket stadium. The media box here is similar in design to the one atLord's Cricket Ground,London. To facilitate spectator movement, there are several aisles between seat columns and the many entrances/exits for the three stands. There is also a spacious passage running around the stadium, between the stands and the outer wall, to enable easy movement.
A 30-acre portion of agricultural land next to the Jamnagar highway was acquired around 2004. Construction began in 2006 and the total cost, including land, is said to be around Rs 75 crore (around $14 million). The SCA shifted its offices from the cramped seventh floor of a commercial building in the city to the stadium which has been hosting first-class matches since late 2008.
The complex has two playing fields: the main one inside the stadium, with a 90-yard outfield, and a smaller one outside, with a 70-yard outfield. The latter is used for outdoor nets, and also for district-level matches. The dressing rooms are big and lined with large, luxurious, cushioned seats.
There are more than 60 hospitality boxes dotting the West Stand and the Pavilion Stand but the SCA has decided against selling them permanently to corporates and will only hire them out for international matches. There are even plans to have an academy in the future.
The stadium was in the cricket news when itsSaurashtra run machinesCheteshwar Pujara andRavindra Jadeja make their latest double or triple-hundreds.
It also hosted its firstT20 International match on 10 October 2013 betweenIndia andAustralia during theAustralia Tour of India Oct-Nov 2013. The match first sawAaron Finch make 89 and then the return ofYuvraj Singh to international cricket in which he scored an unbeaten 77 asIndia chased down 201 runs.
In November 2015, the stadium was selected as one of the six newTest venues along withMaharashtra Cricket Association Stadium,JSCA International Stadium Complex,Holkar Stadium,Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium andDr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in India.[2]The stadium was the home ground of theGujarat Lions inIPL 2016. It hosted five matches in the season.[3]
On 9 November 2016, the stadium hosted its first Test match, which was played betweenEngland and India.[4]
On 14 February 2024, the stadium was named afterNiranjan Shah, a former first-class cricketer from Saurashtra and the honorary secretary of the Saurashtra Cricket Association, a day before the start of the3rd test match.[5]
Niranjan Shah Stadium has implemented asolar rooftop system, making it one of the solar-powered venues in India.[6] The system is designed to generate 82,000 units ofsolar power annually and contributes to a monthly saving of approximately ₹54,600 in electricity bills.[7] Additionally, the stadium has plans for expanding its green power generation capabilities in the future.[8] These measures are part of the stadium's approach tosustainability.
| No. | Player | Team | Score | Balls | Inns. | Opposing team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Root | England | 124 | 180 | 1 | India | 9 November 2016[9] |
| 2 | Moeen Ali | England | 117 | 213 | 1 | India | |
| 3 | Ben Stokes | England | 128 | 235 | 1 | India | |
| 4 | Murali Vijay | India | 126 | 301 | 2 | England | |
| 5 | Cheteshwar Pujara | India | 124 | 206 | 2 | England | |
| 6 | Alastair Cook | England | 130 | 243 | 3 | India | |
| 7 | Prithvi Shaw | India | 134 | 154 | 1 |  West Indies | 24 October 2018[10] |
| 8 | Virat Kohli | India | 139 | 230 | 1 | West Indies | |
| 9 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | 100* | 132 | 1 | West Indies | |
| 10 | Rohit Sharma | India | 131 | 196 | 1 | England | 15 February 2024[11] |
| 11 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | 112 | 225 | 1 | England | |
| 12 | Ben Duckett | England | 153 | 151 | 2 | India | |
| 13 | Yashasvi Jaiswal | India | 214* | 236 | 3 | England |
| No. | Player | Team | Score | Balls | Inns. | Opposing team | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quinton de Kock |  South Africa | 103 | 118 | 1 | India | 18 October 2015[12] |
| No. | Player | Team | Score | Balls | Inns. | Opposing team | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suryakumar Yadav | India | 112* | 51 | 1 |  Sri Lanka | 7 January 2023 | Won[13] |
| 2 | Colin Munro |  New Zealand | 109* | 58 | 1 | India | 4 November 2017 | Won[14] |
| No. | Bowler | Date | Team | Opposing Team | Inn | O | R | W | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ravindra Jadeja | 4 October 2018 | India | West Indies | 3 | 14 | 57 | 5 | India won[10] |
| 2 | Kuldeep Yadav | 15 February 2024 | India | England | 4 | 12.4 | 41 | 5 | India won[11] |