Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Chennai)

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (also known as the Marina Arena) is a multipurpose stadium in Chennai, India. It has a capacity to seat 40,000 people.[1] It hosts football matches and athletic competitions. The complex also houses a multipurpose indoor stadium with a seating capacity of 5,000 which hosts volleyball, basketball, table tennis games. The stadium is also used for functions and concerts. The stadium is named after Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. The stadium earlier hosted cricket Test matches between 1956 and 1965.[2] As of 19 August 2017 it has hosted 9 Tests.

Nehru Stadium

Marina Arena
Location	Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Owner	Government of Tamil Nadu
Operator	Government of Tamil Nadu
Capacity	40,000 19,484 (ISL)
Surface	Grass
Construction
Opened	1993
Renovated	2012
General contractor	L&T Constructions, Larsen & Toubro Limited Chennai
Tenants
Chennaiyin (2014–present) Chennai City (sometimes) Tamil Thalaivas Indoor Stadium

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Aerial View (Chennai)

The stadium is located at Sydenhams Road, Park Town behind the Chennai Central suburban railway station and the Ripon Building. Tamil Nadu football team, which plays in Santosh Trophy and Chennaiyin FC, the Indian Super League team representing the city, use the stadium as its home ground.

History

The stadium was built on the area where the old Madras Zoo was located before it was shifted to its present location in at Vandalur.[3] It was built in 1993 at a cost of ₹440 million (US$6.2 million) in 234 days.[1] In 2012, the Government of Tamil Nadu renovated the indoor stadium at a cost of ₹120 million (US$1.7 million) with a new skating rink.[4] In 2013, Government of Tamil Nadu upgraded the synthetic athletics track, football turf, floodlights and upgrading added a warm up track north of the stadium at a cost of ₹331 million (US$4.6 million).[1][5]

In 1993, this stadium in Chennai hosted the Nehru Cup international tournament. It has also hosted the SAF Games football in 1995, and the Jayalalitha Gold Cup international women's tournament,[6] and many pre-Olympic and pre-world cup matches.

The Nehru stadium at Chennai is considered the most favored venue for any international fixture since this stadium is the only football facility in the country which has come up in keeping with the FIFA specifications with regard to the players’ facility, the dressing rooms and security aspects to name a few important parameters.

Back in the eighties the then Corporation stadium (now the modern Nehru Stadium) used to witness houseful audience for even the city league matches. When C.R. Viswanathan, then the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Football Association, was keen on bringing the Nehru Cup international football tournament to Chennai, a stadium of international standard was required. He approached late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa with a plan to convert the old Nehru stadium into a brand new ultra-modern facility.[7] The Chief Minister gave her approval and in January 1993 the competition was conducted successfully and the city acquired a facility that was acknowledged to be arguably the best in the country also doubling up as a track and field venue.[8]

Facilities

The stadium has a seating capacity of 40,000 with a 400m 8-lane synthetic athletics track and a natural football turf. There is an indoor stadium with a seating capacity of 5000 associated with the stadium. Two Beach Volleyball courts, three clay Volleyball courts, one Throw ball court, one Kabaddi field and one Handball court are also available in the complex. There are also facilities for Judo, Weightlifting, Table Tennis, Boxing, Chess and Carrom besides a Fitness Center and a conference hall. The indoor stadium hosts various functions and concerts.[9][10]

Events

The stadium hosted nine cricket Test matches between 1956 and 1965.[2] In 1998, it hosted the World Volleyball Grand Prix tournament.[11][12]

Records

Panorama View of stadium

Football

The highest goal scoring match in Indian Super League with 6 goals between Chennaiyin FC and Mumbai City FC (5–1) on 28 October 2014 in the 2014 Indian Super League season.

Cricket

The highest test cricket scores were made by West Indies cricket team with 600–9 and 537–9. The most runs scored here was by Vijay Manjrekar (487 runs), Chandu Borde (431 runs) and Budhi Kunderan (346 runs). The most wickets taken here was by Bapu Nadkarni (20 wickets), Salim Durani (19 wickets) and Subhash Gupte (17 wickets).[2]

Highest opening stand of 413 runs was recorded here by MH Mankad and P Roy against New Zealand.

List of Five Wicket Hauls

Tests

12 five wicket hauls in Test matches have been taken at the venue.[13]

No.	Bowler	Date	Team	Opposing team	Inn	Overs	Runs	Wkts	Econ	Result
1	Subhash Gupte	6 January 1956	India	New Zealand	2	49	72	5	1.46	Won
2	Richie Benaud	19 October 1956	Australia	India	1	29.3	72	7	2.44	Won
3	Ray Lindwall	19 October 1956	Australia	India	3	22.5	43	7	1.88	Won
4	Richie Benaud	13 January 1960	Australia	India	2	32.1	43	5	1.33	Won
5	Haseeb Ahsan	13 January 1961	Pakistan	India	2	84	202	6	2.4	Drawn
6	Salim Durani	10 January 1962	India	England	2	36	105	6	2.91	Won
7	Tony Lock	10 January 1962	England	India	3	39.3	65	6	1.64	Lost
8	Fred Titmus	10 January 1964	England	India	1	50	116	5	2.32	Lost
9	Chandu Borde	10 January 1964	India	England	2	67.4	88	5	1.3	Won
10	Bapu Nadkarni	2 October 1964	India	Australia	1	18	31	5	1.72	Lost
11	Graham McKenzie	2 October 1964	Australia	India	2	32.3	58	6	1.78	Won
12	Bapu Nadkarni	2 October 1964	India	Australia	3	54.4	91	6	1.66	Lost

See also

• List of stadiums in India
• List of Test cricket grounds
• List of international cricket centuries at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

References

1. "Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai". SDAT, Government of Tamil Nadu. Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
2. "Nehru Stadium: Test Matches". ESPNcricinfo. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
3. "Arignar Anna zoological Park". Retrieved 4 July 2015.
4. "Jawaharlal Nehru indoor stadium to be renovated at Rs. 10 crore". The Hindu. Chennai. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
5. "Nehru stadium work stalls sports days". The Hindu. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
6. Mitra, Atanu. "How Amma organised India's first international women's football tournament, the Gold Cup in 1994". scroll.in.
7. Ramchand, Partab (2016). "Sports-loving Jayalalithaa remembered". Madras Musings.
8. Reporter, Sports (1993). "Lone Indian Star, the stadium" (PDF). Madras Musings.
9. "I movie audio launched". sify.com. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
10. "Arnold arrives in Chennai". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
11. "India hosted for the first time". Retrieved 18 April 2013.
12. "International Sporting Events". Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
13. "Statistics - Statsguru - Test Matches - Bowling Records". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 September 2019.