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Andhra Pradesh Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium is one of the most popular and huge cricket stadiums in India which was formerly known as Visaka International Cricket Stadium Ground. It was established 8 years ago in the year 2004! Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, the principal stadium in Hyderabad, India is the home ground for Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). It’s located at the eastern suburb of the city, i.e. Uppal and covers the area of around 16 acres (65,000 m2) of land with a capacity of 55000 spectators presently! The stadium has six towers for floodlights with ends named as Pavilion End and North End. North End is now named as VVS Laxman End after the HCA decided to honour the retired player of the state! The owner and the operator of the stadium is HCA only however Mr. Chandra Shekhar is the curator. The stadium is generally given to Indian Cricket Team and Deccan Chargers on rent.
The Hyderabad Cricket association constructed this ground to serve some of the domestic and international matches in the city so that the people can watch cricket with enthusiasts.
History
Before Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium came into existence, HCA’s home ground was Lal Bahadur Stadium in the Fateh Maidan Sports Complex at Basheerbagh in Central Hyderabad. Since the ground belonged to the Sports Authority of Andra Pradesh (SAAP), HCA has limited autonomy over the stadium and because of which the practice used to suffer at time. Moreover, the size of the ground was small hence it was declared as a high scoring ground and because of this Hyderabad was not preferred as the Host city for the high profile cricket matches.
Considering these issues, a proposal for a better stadium was submitted by HCA to the government of Andra Pradesh in the year 2003. The government was then headed by Mr. N Chandrababu Naidu under whose leadership the proposal was immediately cleared and HCA was soon allocated with a sufficient budget for their new dream stadium. The government also allotted them a large piece of land, serving to their purpose at Uppal.
For the funding of the project, open auction of stadium’s title was done in which Visaka Industries Limited won the auction with a bid amount of Rs.65,00,00,000. Visaka Industries Limited paid an amount of Rs. 43, 00, 00,000 as advance payment and the stadium was then named as Visaka International Cricket Stadium in the year 2004.
By the year 2005, when the Stadium was almost complete, it was ready to host its very first ODI match between India and South Africa. The stadium hosted its first ODI Match within 2 years from the day its proposal was passed.
Mr. Y.S Rajasekhara Reddy, who was the former Chief Minister of Andra Pradesh, decided to change the name of the Stadium to Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, in the loving memory of former Prime Minister of Indai, Rajiv Gandhi.
Abiding by the decision of former Chief Minister of Andra Pradesh, HCA was required to pay six times the amount mentioned in the contract to Visaka Industries Limited in accordance with the clauses in the contract governing any subsequent renaming of the stadium or Visaka’s name not being attached with the stadium’s name. HCA however, following some negotiations by the government, got off by paying Rs. 43, 00, 00,000, equivalent to the contract amount only! Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium is considered as one of the professional and spacious stadiums.
A person can have various transport option available through which he can reach to this stadium easily. There are large numbers of buses and private transport vehicles available.
How To Reach
The stadium’s location is very good. It is very close to the airport and the Railway station. So the foreigners, people from different cities etc. don’t face much problems in reaching the stadium as auto rickshaw’s, buses, cabs etc. are always present to help the passengers cover the distance whenever needed.
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium is popular among the people because most of the popular cricketers scored maximum runs on this ground and various records also stood in this stadium.
Noted Events At Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium
The stadium has hosted following events till today
- ODI Match on 16th November, 2005 between India and South Africa in which India lost to South Africa by 5 wickets. India made a score of 249/9 in 50 over where as South Africa won with the score of 252/5 in 48 over.
- ODI Match on 5th October, 2007 between India and Australia in which India lost to Australia by 47 runs. India was on 243 runs and all out in 47.5 over where as Australia won with the score of 290/7 in 50 over.
- ODI Match on 5th November, 2009 between India and Australia in which India lost to Australia by 4 runs. India was on 347 runs and all out in 49.4 over where as Australia won with the score 350/4 in 50 over.
- Sachin Tendulkar Completed 17,000 ODI runs along with his 45th ODI Century and received his 60th Man of the Match Award.
- Scahin Tendulkar made 697 runs in 14 over.
- On 12th November 2012, it hosted the first drawn match between India and New Zealand and this Venue became the 101nth World Test Match Venue.
- On 14th of October, 2011, India defeated England by 126 runs.
- From 23rd to 27th August, 2012, Indian Team defeated New Zealand by 115 runs, its spinners taking 18 out of 20 wickets to fall.
Deccan Chargers is the home team of Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League that playas most of its tournament’s games on this ground. It get good spectators hen matches held on this ground.
Deccan Chargers
Deccan Chargers is the name given to the team representing Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium is Deccan Chargers home ground along-with Indian Cricket Team. Most of the Indian Premier League Matches are played in a day/night format so there is a great necessity of floodlights. Six towers of floodlights have been installed for the same.
It was observed the home teams used to lose the matches played on this ground so everyone started believing that stadium is suffering from jinx of loosing matches for the home teams! For the same the management of the stadium decided to change the changing room positions of the home teams and also installed the sculpture of Lord Ganesha who is the god of success. All these efforts by management finally resulted in the victory of Indian Cricket Team beating England over a margin of more than 100 runs.
Famous Centuries At Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium
- BB McCullum made 225 runs in 308 balls with 22 fours and 4 sixes during New Zealand Vs India, 2010.
- C A Pajura made 159 runs in 306 balls with 19 fours and 1 six during India Vs New Zealand, 2012.
- Harbhajan Singh made 111 runs in 116 balls with 7 fours and 7 sixes during India Vs New Zealand, 2010.
- TG McIntosh made 102 runs in 254 balls with 10 fours and 1 six during India Vs New Zealand, 2010.
- SR Tendulkar made 175 runs in 141 balls with 19 fours and 4 sixes during India Vs Australia 2009.
- Yuvraj Singh made 121 runs in 115 balls with 12 fours and 3 sixes during India Vs Australia 2007.
- SE Marsh made 112 runs in 112 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes during India Vs Australia, 2009.
- Yuvraj Singh made 103 runs in 122 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixes during India Vs South Africa, 2005.
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