Barabati Stadium is a famous cricket ground in Cuttack, Odisha. Built in 1958, it is one of the oldest stadiums in India. Many important cricket matches have been played here, including international games, IPL matches, and domestic tournaments.
The stadium can hold 45,000 people and has bright floodlights for night matches. It is an important place for Indian cricket.
Barabati Stadium Pitch Report
The pitch at Barabati Stadium helps both fast bowlers and spinners. It has uneven bounce, which can make batting tricky. Spinners get more help as the match goes on. The surface is generally slow, so scoring runs becomes harder over time.
How the Pitch Plays in Different Formats
Test Matches:
- Spinners get more help in the later stages.
- Fast bowlers can use the variable bounce early.
- Batting becomes difficult over time.
ODIs:
- The pitch is slow at the start but allows good shots in the first innings.
- Dew in day-night games can make batting easier in the second innings.
- Spinners are useful in the middle overs.
T20 Matches:
- The slow pitch makes chasing difficult.
- Pacers using slower balls and cutters are effective.
- High scores are rare unless a batter plays a big innings.
Toss Factor at Barabati Stadium
- ODIs & T20Is: Captains winning the toss often choose to bowl first, considering the impact of dew in night matches.
- Tests: Teams generally prefer batting first to post a strong total before spinners come into play.
- The pitch tends to slow down in the second innings, making stroke-making difficult for teams chasing in Tests.
Barabati Stadium ODI Stats & Records
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Total Matches Played | 27 |
| Matches Won Batting First | 11 |
| Matches Won Bowling First | 16 |
| Average 1st Innings Score | 229 |
| Average 2nd Innings Score | 201 |
| Highest Total | 381/6 (IND vs ENG) |
| Lowest Total | 77/10 (RSAW vs ENGW) |
| Highest Successful Chase | 316/6 (IND vs WI) |
| Lowest Total Defended | 189/10 (IND vs WI) |
Teams batting second have a better win record, indicating that chasing is slightly easier. A score above 280+ is considered a strong total. The pitch slows down as the game progresses, making spinners crucial in the middle overs.
Barabati Stadium T20I Stats & Records
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Total Matches Played | 3 |
| Matches Won Batting First | 1 |
| Matches Won Bowling First | 2 |
| Average 1st Innings Score | 140 |
| Average 2nd Innings Score | 110 |
| Highest Total | 180/3 (IND vs SL) |
| Lowest Total | 87/10 (SL vs IND) |
| Highest Successful Chase | 149/6 (RSA vs IND) |
| Lowest Score Defended | 180/3 (IND vs SL) |
Low-scoring games are common, with an average first-inning score of 140. Chasing is slightly easier, but a score of 160+ can be competitive. Seamers using cutters and spinners have an advantage on this pitch.
Barabati Stadium Test Match Stats & Records
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Total Matches Played | 3 |
| Matches Won Batting First | 1 |
| Average 1st Innings Score | 293 |
| Average 2nd Innings Score | 223 |
| Average 3rd Innings Score | 199 |
| Highest Total | 400/10 (IND vs SL) |
| Lowest Total | 142/10 (SL vs IND) |
Spinners have a big impact, often dominating matches. The best time for batting is during the first two days. As the game progresses, the pitch starts breaking down and offers more turn.
Famous Matches at Barabati Stadium
India vs England, 1982 (Test Match)
This was the first international match played at Barabati Stadium. India won the match and took a 2-1 lead in the series. The pitch was slow and helped spin bowlers, which worked in India’s favor.
Players like Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar played important roles. This match made Barabati Stadium an important cricket venue.
India vs South Africa, 2015 (T20I)
This match is remembered for crowd problems rather than cricket. India batted first and scored only 92 runs, struggling on a slow pitch. South African bowlers dominated the game.
Angry fans threw bottles onto the field, stopping the match many times. Security had to calm the crowd before play continued. South Africa easily chased the target, but the match is mostly remembered for the crowd issues.
India vs England, 2017 (ODI)
India made history in this match by scoring 381/6, the highest total at this stadium. Yuvraj Singh played an amazing innings, scoring 150 runs, and MS Dhoni added 134 runs.
Their partnership of 256 runs was one of India’s best. England fought hard, with Eoin Morgan scoring 102, but they fell 15 runs short and ended at 366/8. This match is one of the most exciting ODIs played at Barabati Stadium.
Conclusion
Barabati Stadium is an important cricket ground in India. It has hosted many exciting matches in Test, ODI, and T20 formats. The pitch helps both bowlers and batters, but batting becomes harder as the game goes on.
Some matches have had big scores, while others were low-scoring battles. The stadium has also seen some problems, like crowd trouble, but it remains a special place for cricket. Barabati Stadium will continue to host more great matches in the future.
