M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, commonly known as Chepauk Stadium after the Chennai neighbourhood in which it stands, is a cricket ground in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1916, it is the second-oldest cricket stadium in India after Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, and the oldest cricket venue in the country in continuous use. It is owned and operated by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and is the home ground of the Tamil Nadu cricket team and IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
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Quick Facts
| Location | Chepauk, Triplicane, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Established | 1916 (as Madras Cricket Club Ground) |
| Capacity | Approximately 38,000 (reduced from ~50,000 after renovation) |
| Owner/Operator | Tamil Nadu Cricket Association |
| Home team(s) | Tamil Nadu cricket team, Chennai Super Kings (IPL) |
| First Test | 10–13 February 1934, India vs England |
| Nickname | “The Lion’s Den” |
History
The ground was originally established in 1916 as the Madras Cricket Club Ground. It was later renamed in honour of M. A. Chidambaram, a former president of both the BCCI and the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, in recognition of his contributions to Indian cricket administration.
The venue hosted its first Test match in February 1934 against England — a match that also produced India’s first-ever Test victory, achieved in 1952 against the same opponents. Chepauk has a reputation as a spin-friendly venue, with dry, dusty conditions in the later stages of matches that historically aid slow bowlers.
A major renovation completed around 2011 modernised the stadium’s facilities and adjusted its seating capacity; various sources have placed post-renovation capacity anywhere from roughly 38,000 to 50,000, following further changes mandated by a Supreme Court ruling on stadium safety norms.
Notable Events
- 1934 – First Test staged at the venue.
- 1952 – India’s first-ever Test match win, against England.
- 1983 – Sunil Gavaskar broke Sir Donald Bradman’s record for most Test centuries, scoring his 30th here against West Indies.
- 1986 – The second tied Test in cricket history took place at Chepauk, between India and Australia.
- 1987 Cricket World Cup Final – Chepauk hosted the final of the 1987 World Cup.
- 1998 – Sachin Tendulkar’s celebrated 155 against Australia, part of his duels with Shane Warne.
- 2008 – Virender Sehwag’s 319 against South Africa, one of the great innings played at the venue.
Records
- Highest individual Test score at venue: Virender Sehwag, 319 vs South Africa (2008).
- Highest IPL total: Chennai Super Kings, 246/5 vs Rajasthan Royals (2010).
- Lowest IPL total: Royal Challengers Bangalore, 70 all out (2019).
- Chennai Super Kings have one of the strongest home records in IPL history at Chepauk, having won roughly two-thirds of matches played here across 18 seasons.
- Ravichandran Ashwin, a Chennai native, holds the record for most IPL wickets taken at the venue.
Facilities and Layout
The stadium’s boundaries are relatively compact, with square boundaries of roughly 61–68 metres and straight boundaries around 75 metres. Its fan base, particularly CSK’s “Whistle Podu” army, is known for creating one of the most passionate match-day atmospheres in Indian cricket.
Access
Chepauk is located near Marina Beach in central Chennai, easily reached via local rail and road transport.
Related Stadiums
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata — India’s oldest cricket ground, just ahead of Chepauk.
- M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru — another iconic South Zone venue.
- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai — comparable in age and historic Test significance.
- Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad — fellow South Zone international venue.
