Ranchi's JSCA International Stadium: 35,000 seats, 76 corporate boxes and nine pitches engineered to dodge the sun until 4.45 pm

The JSCA International Stadium Complex — also known as the HEC International Cricket Stadium, or simply the Ranchi International Stadium — stands in Ranchi, Jharkhand, as one of Indian cricket's most thoughtfully engineered venues. Well built with respect to its state-of-the-art facilities, the stadium was designed with an attention to detail that goes far beyond bricks and seats.

Engineered to beat the afternoon shadow

The stadium's most distinctive design feature lies in its relationship with the sun. The venue has been constructed in such a manner that a shadow does not fall on any of its nine pitches before 4.45 p.m. — a deliberate piece of planning that keeps the square in clear, consistent light for the bulk of a day's play, sparing batters and bowlers the visibility problems that shifting shadows can create in the latter half of an afternoon session.

A second ground for practice and preparation

The main arena is not the only playing surface within the complex. Alongside it sits another ground, which features five main pitches and eight practice pitches — an extensive training base that gives visiting and home teams ample space for nets, warm-ups and match preparation.

Capacity and corporate facilities

In terms of scale, the stadium holds a seating capacity of around 35,000 spectators, and its hospitality offering is equally substantial, with 76 corporate boxes built into the structure. The combination of a modern seating bowl, a large inventory of premium boxes and carefully planned playing surfaces makes the JSCA International Stadium Complex a flagship venue for cricket in Jharkhand.