Wankhede Stadium is an international cricket stadium in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, located near Marine Drive in the Churchgate area. It is owned and operated by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and serves as the home ground of the Indian Premier League franchise Mumbai Indians. The stadium also houses the headquarters of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the MCA, and the IPL.
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Quick Facts
| Location | D Road, Churchgate, Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Established | 1974 |
| Capacity | 33,108 (reduced from ~45,000 after 2011 renovation) |
| Owner/Operator | Mumbai Cricket Association |
| Home team(s) | Mumbai cricket team, Mumbai Indians (IPL) |
| First Test | 1974–75 season, India vs West Indies |
| First ODI | 17 January 1987, India vs Sri Lanka |
History
Mumbai has hosted Test cricket at three different grounds over the years. The Bombay Gymkhana staged the first-ever Test in India in 1933–34, after which the Cricket Club of India’s Brabourne Stadium became the city’s primary Test venue, hosting 17 Tests. A dispute between the Cricket Club of India and the Bombay Cricket Association (now MCA) over ticket allocations — which came to a head after the 1973 India–England Test — led the MCA to build its own stadium less than a mile away.
Under the initiative of S. K. Wankhede, a politician and MCA secretary, the new stadium was constructed in around 13 months, with Shashi Prabhu & Associates as architects and B. E. Billimoria & Co. as contractors. It was named after Wankhede and opened in time to host the final Test of the 1974–75 series between India and West Indies.
Ahead of the 2011 Cricket World Cup, the stadium underwent a significant redevelopment that reduced seating capacity from roughly 45,000 to 33,108, in exchange for upgraded facilities including suspended cantilever Teflon-fabric roofing, 20 elevators, and improved sightlines with no beam supports blocking views.
Notable Events
- 2011 Cricket World Cup Final – India defeated Sri Lanka to win the World Cup on home soil for the first time, with the winning six struck by MS Dhoni.
- 2013 Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell Test – Wankhede hosted the final international match of Tendulkar’s career, against West Indies.
- 1979–80 “Jubilee Test” – Ian Botham’s century and 13-wicket haul led England to a ten-wicket win.
- 1974–75 inaugural Test – Clive Lloyd’s unbeaten 242 headlined West Indies’ win in the stadium’s first Test.
Records
- Highest team total: 631 all out by India vs England (2016–17).
- Lowest team total: 62 all out by New Zealand vs India (2021–22).
- Highest individual Indian score: Vinod Kambli’s 224 vs England (1992–93); Virat Kohli later scored 235 vs England (2016–17).
- Most Test runs at the venue: Sunil Gavaskar.
- Most Test wickets at the venue: Anil Kumble, with 38 wickets.
- Fastest first-class double century: Ravi Shastri’s unbeaten 200 came off 123 balls in a Ranji Trophy match here in 1984–85, part of an innings that included six sixes in an over off Baroda’s Tilak Raj.
Facilities and Layout
The stadium’s stands are named after legendary Mumbai cricketers, including Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavaskar, and Sachin Tendulkar. Its seaside location near the Arabian Sea means fast bowlers typically get early and late swing, while the pitch has traditionally favoured strokeplay in white-ball cricket as the innings progresses.
Access
Wankhede Stadium is a short walk from Churchgate Railway Station on the Western Line, and is close to Marine Drive, one of Mumbai’s most recognisable landmarks.
Related Stadiums
- Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai — the older Mumbai venue that Wankhede was built to replace.
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata — India’s oldest and largest cricket venue.
- Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad — hosted the 2023 World Cup final, as Wankhede did in 2011.
- MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai — another historic west/south coast Test venue.
This article is written in a Wikipedia-style format for reference and general information purposes.
