M. Chinnaswamy Stadium: Bengaluru’s high-scoring cricket landmark

Located in central Bengaluru, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is one of Indian cricket’s best-known venues. The ground has a capacity of about 40,000 and is named after Mangalam Chinnaswamy, a former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The stadium is owned by the Karnataka state government and leased to the Karnataka State Cricket Association. It hosts the Karnataka Ranji Trophy team and Bengaluru’s franchise in the Indian Twenty20 League, as well as matches involving India. The National Cricket Academy, where young players are developed, is also based at the venue.

A ground marked by landmark matches

Chinnaswamy hosted its first Test in 1974, a match remembered as the Test debuts of Sir Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge. It later staged the 1996 World Cup quarter-final between India and Pakistan, which was the ground’s first match under lights.

The venue has also provided a setting for memorable limited-overs contests. India and England tied at 338 apiece in a 2011 World Cup match, while India beat Bangladesh by one run at the 2016 World Twenty20. In 2013, Rohit Sharma made his first ODI double century at the stadium, against Australia.

Small boundaries, big totals

Compact boundaries have helped make the ground a favourite for high-scoring cricket. Its most famous Twenty20 innings came when Chris Gayle struck 175 for the Bengaluru franchise against Pune, as his team posted 263/5—the highest total in the format at the time described in the source.

The ground is also associated with a pioneering environmental effort: it was the first stadium in India to use solar energy to generate electricity, as part of a “Go Green” initiative. Its history, central location and appetite for run-filled games have made Chinnaswamy a defining part of Bengaluru’s sporting identity.

Notable names associated with the venue

Among the Indian cricketers linked to the ground are GR Viswanath, Erapalli Prasanna, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble.