Indian cricket is set to kick off a busy Test season on September 19 with a two-Test series against Bangladesh. Following this, India will host three more Tests against New Zealand at home before embarking on a tour to Australia for a five-match series for the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In addition to the packed Test schedule, the Men in Blue also have a few T20Is lined up against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and South Africa.
The Bangladesh T20Is begin right after the conclusion of the Test, with Gwalior's Madhavrao Scindia Stadium hosting the series opener. The BCCI on Tuesday made this tweak, giving Gwalior the hosting rights after the originally-planned venue – the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala – was deemed unprepared given the renovation work that's currently underway. The announcement was of epic proportions in a way, given this is the first time since 2010 that an international cricket will be played in Gwalior. First time since February 24, 2010, when history was made.
"First man on the planet to reach 200… and it's the superman from India," said Ravi Shastri in his booming voice from the commentary box as Sachin Tendulkar became the first ever to score an ODI double century 14 years ago. However, as it turns out, it was the last time that the city of Gwalior hosted an international game, let alone an ODI or T20I. Having said that, this is not the same venue as the one where Tendulkar did the unthinkable. The Madhavrao Scindia Stadium is a newly-constructed venue which will make its debut, whereas the one where India beat South Africa by 153 runs took place at the Roop Singh Stadium, which is a half an hour drive away.
India's blemish-free ODI record at GwaliorThe Roop Singh Stadium has been a happy hunting ground for India. Since its inception in 1988, India brag of a 100 percent win record in ODIs played at Gwalior. India have beaten South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan, Australia, England and New Zealand at this venue. With the action now shofting to the Madhav Rao Scindia Stadium, India would be hopeful of continuing the winning streak when its white-ball leg resumes on October 6.
Gwalior isn't the only stadium in the state of Madhya Pradesh that hosts cricket. Indore's famous Holkar Stadium is a venue which constantly stages high-profile matches, including the India vs Australia Test last year.
Stay informed with the latest updates on live cricket score, cricket players, match schedules and ICC rankings. Keep an eye on your favourite cricket team, including the stellar performances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Check out the cricket schedule, track team standings and dive into player stats and rankings on Crickit, powered by Hindustan Times website and app.