“……And the ball races away past the fielder, into the fence like a tracer bullet”. Imagine Ravi Shastri exclaiming at the top of his voice. That’s not a line you haven’t heard before, but it doesn’t fail to pump you up every single time, does it?In the making of an exciting game of cricket, the expanse of green around the square is as crucial as the 22-yard strip at the centre.If a flat track offering little help to the bowlers is a recipe for high scoring, then a good quality outfield must be the cherry on the cake. Short boundaries and fast outfields in which the ball scorches across the turf provide great value for stroke making and throw up those run feasts that fans in India love to watch. Thus, most grounds in India roll out the ‘green carpet’ welcome for the batsmen. A well-timed shot hit past the fielder, who goes chasing behind it, and the ball pulling further away from him all the while is a common sight on these green carpets.
On slower outfields, the ball could have lost momentum in travel and the fielder covering ground in time may have limited the batsmen to the ones, twos and threes. But on faster turfs, these shots cross the boundary more often than not. The thickness of the grass and the dryness of the surface contribute to the quality of a cricket field. Trimmed grass and dry surface aid fast movement, whereas on lush outfields and where there is moisture on the surface, its movement is impeded.From a fielder’s perspective, a good outfield affords the freedom to dive and throw himself around safely without the risk of a bruise and career-threatening injury.Beyond cricketing aspects, an outfield with a rich tinge of green also enhances the aesthetic appeal of the stadia and makes for pleasant viewing.Here, we intend to take a look at the best outfields in India that will stand out on these counts:
#1 HPCA stadium, Dharamsala
Situated at an altitude of 1,457 m above sea level, in the hometown of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the HPCA stadium at Dharamsala is one of the most picturesque stadiums in the world. Built with an eye on aesthetics, the stadium is surrounded by snow-capped ranges of the Himalayas. The India vs. England One Day International in 2013 was the first international cricket fixture at the venue which was recently awarded Test status, and it is set to host one of the Tests against Australia this season. In keeping with the requirements of the cooler climate, the venue uses winter rye grass to prevent the conventional Bermuda grass on the outfield from dying when temperatures fall below 10 degrees. The boundaries stretch over a distance of 70 yards.
With the open and low statured stands providing wind assistance for the bowlers to move the ball in the air, the pitch currently the fastest in the country aiding pace and bounce, and the lightning quick outfield offering plenty of runs to the batsmen, this is one perfect place to play cricket as vouched for by many a visiting player who has stood in awe of the scenic experience. The Kings XI Punjab plays some of its IPL matches at this venue.
#2 PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh
The Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium at Mohali is a sea of green. Host to one of the greenest and liveliest of pitches in India that can be often indistinguishable from the field, the stadium also boasts of a lush green playing area. The boundary to wicket distance is around 75 yards and it’s observed that the ball retains its shape and shine for a longer duration at Mohali than in most cricket stadiums in India due to its greener pastures, making the venue a fast bowler’s paradise. In the past few years though, Mohali has been showing signs of slowing down and giving ample assistance to the spinners as well as the batsmen.
The World T20 game between India and Australia remembered for Kohli’s 82* in an epic chase was the most recent international match at this venue. In the IPL, the PCA Stadium is the primary home venue for the Kings XI Punjab.
#3 Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur, Chhattisgarh
Though a relatively new entrant on the cricket map, established in 2008, the Raipur stadium is already rated one of the best in the country and is being showcased as an Indian stadium closer to international standards. It is the second largest cricket stadium in India and third in the world on the basis of crowd capacity. In terms of boundary-to-boundary outfield dimensions also, this is one of the bigger stadiums in the country.
The ground made its IPL debut in 2013 and hosted a number of matches in the 2014 edition of the defunct Champions League T20. Currently an alternate home venue for the Delhi Daredevils, the SVNSI Raipur Stadium in Chhattisgarh is yet to play host to international cricket but continues to host a few IPL matches every edition since its debut.
#4 VCA Stadium, Nagpur
The Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium at Jamtha in Nagpur, the hometown of the incumbent ICC President Shashank Manohar, claims to be one of the largest grounds in the world in terms of playing area with a boundary to centre distance of 80 yards from the straight boundary and 85 yards from the square leg boundary. The ground made its international debut during Australia’s tour of India in 2008-09.
Established in 2008, this is one another state-of-the-art ultra-modern Indian cricket stadium that has earned high praise from visiting players and officials alike for its world-class facilities. However, more recently, the venue was in the news for the wrong reasons with the pitch used against South Africa receiving a ‘poor’ rating from the ICC.
#5 Eden Gardens, Kolkata
The Eden Gardens in Kolkata is the largest cricket stadium in India and second in the world in terms of seat capacity. An iconic venue that is regarded as cricket’s Colosseum for its passionate crowd and packed atmosphere, Eden Gardens has earned a reputation for its short boundaries and lightning quick outfields over the years. The venue has hosted many a historic moment in the game including the 1987 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan and the final of that tournament featuring Australia and England, the infamous 1996 World Cup semi-final between India and Sri Lanka which was awarded to the latter due to crowd disruptions and the 2001 epic Test between India and Australia remembered for the classy fight back from VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid.
Most recently, England played the West Indies in the final of the World T20 - who can forget Brathwaite’s barrage of sixes and a distraught Ben Stokes? In the IPL, Gautam Gambhir led Kolkata Knight Riders is known to employ a spin-heavy attack to use the spin-friendly conditions in their favour.
#6 Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Originally built during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Raja Man Singh II, the SMS Stadium in Jaipur received a world-class makeover at the behest of former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi who was also at the helm of the Rajasthan Cricket Association. It has hosted only one Test and several One Day Internationals till date including few matches of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006. The solitary Test at this venue was a controversial Test between India and Pakistan in 1987 that ended in a draw amidst Pakistan’s objection to alleged deposition of sawdust on the wicket.
ODI captain MS Dhoni also smashed his highest individual score of 183 at this high-scoring venue in a match against Sri Lanka that saw as many as 54 hits to the fence. Later, the venue was Rajasthan Royal’s fortress in the IPL before RCA’s legal tangles with government clearance and RR’s suspension from the tournament.
#7 Wankhede, Mumbai
Wankhede in Mumbai is one of those stadiums that could give Eden Gardens good competition for its aura. Tears of happiness and despair have been shed here. India’s 2011 World Cup triumph and the ensuing euphoria at this arena should be etched in the happy memories of every Indian cricket lover forever, so should teary moments from Sachin’s 200th Test - his final Test appearance. In the IPL, Wankhede is home to the Mumbai Indians.
Traditionally a very high-scoring venue, the outfield at this stadium has an approximate radius of 75 yards. Its proximity to the sea helps swing bowlers during the early part of a match, however spinners come into play in the later stages. The pitch favours the batsmen as the match progresses. In T20 cricket, the outfields of Wankhede always lay out a boundary feast and it was here, in the 2014 edition of the IPL, that the Mumbai Indians scripted an unbelievable chase of a target of 190 against Rajasthan Royals in less than 15 overs.
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