Cricket is more than a sport. It’s the traditions and legends that define cricket. The game’s venues and the historic encounters at these venues – like Laxman and Dravid’s famous rear-guard against the Aussies in 2001 at Eden Gardens – add to the aura surrounding these venues. Kolkata’s Eden Gardens has long been the spiritual home of cricket in India. Almost each time I’m in a city with a famous cricket ground, that stadium automatically tops my ‘to-visit list’. There are historic venues like Eden Gardens and then there are venues that are picturesque – the Caribbean and New Zealand have plenty of these. We’ll save the historic venues for another day and focus on the most dramatic cricket venues that add to the appeal of the cricketing action.
HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala, India
India’s most scenic international cricket venue made news for the wrong reasons this month – the third test between India and Australia was shifted out from here because of the ground conditions Ashwin Rajagopalan
The town of Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district might be best known as the home of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, but for cricket fans, it has another association. The HPCA stadium is one of the highest international cricket stadiums (at an altitude of 1,457 metres). The mighty Himalayas present the perfect backdrop to this picturesque stadium, which has hosted numerous IPL games and has been an international test venue since 2017. It might have made the news for the wrong reasons this month – the third test between India and Australia was shifted out from here because of the ground conditions, but it’s easily India’s most scenic International cricket venue.
Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, England
Lord’s — the ‘Home of Cricket’ Alex Davidson/Getty Images
It’s impossible to keep the ‘Home of Cricket’ out of any stadium list. I’ve done the 90-minute stadium tour more than once and I continue to be smitten by the charms of this historic venue. The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) that runs the stadium has always put traditions and the venue’s inimitable charm over commercial interests. It’s why this ground is still compact; you’re never too far away from the action. My favourite part of the tour is the stop at the players dressing rooms, where seasoned guides fill you in on the superstitions of some of your favourite cricketers. The MCC museum, where the tour begins, is a treasure trove of cricket memorabilia including the famed Ashes urn and is the world’s oldest sporting museum (established in 1864). The stadium’s discerning landmarks like Old Father Time (The weather vane) and the Long Room have been preserved for posterity.
Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka
The best views are from atop the ramparts of the Galle Fort Ashwin Rajagopalan
Few stadiums can match the location of this ground, flanked by the Indian Ocean and the ramparts of a Dutch fort that is now a UNESCO world heritage site. I’ve visited this venue on three occasions — I can vouch for it. Sri Lankans love their cricket, and every match is a celebration, my most memorable visit was when I joined the locals as they celebrated a home win over the mighty Australians in a thrilling test match. I discovered that the best views are from atop the ramparts of the fort.
Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town, South Africa
The Table Mountain provides a dramatic backdrop to the Newlands Cricket Ground Dan Mullan/Getty Images
I picked a grey, rainy day – some might say a typical Cape Town Day, to visit my favourite cricket ground in Africa. The outfield was completely soaked but that didn’t affect the allure of South Africa’s most historic cricket ground A brewer originally owned the large tract of land where the stadium eventually came up in the 1880s. A local brewery next to stadium maintains that link. But that’s not the most striking feature of this stadium; the Table Mountain provides a dramatic backdrop and Devil’s Peak is not far away.
Many South African cricketing venues still retain the embankments (What Australians call ‘The Hill’) and Newlands is no exception. No plastic seats and concrete rows, you can lie on the grass, indulge in a Barbeque and catch the live action – the perfect family outing.
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia
The Sydney Cricket Ground still retains its old Members Pavilion from the 1900s Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
The MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) is my favourite venue in Australia, it’s sheer size and the Boxing Day Test add to its appeal but it’s Sydney’s connection with its glorious past that tips the scales. The Sydney Cricket Ground (I’d recommend the 90-minute tour) still retains its old Members Pavilion and Lady Members’ Stand from the 1900s that have been added to the New South Wales heritage register. It sets the SCG apart from other cricket venues in Australia and adds to its timeless charm.
Arnos Vale Stadium, Kingstown, Saint Vincent
The picture-postcard pretty Arnos Vale Stadium Tom Shaw/Getty Images
This one ought to be on every cricket fan’s bucket list (it’s still unticked on mine). The West Indies is home to some of the most beautiful cricketing venues and the Calypso vibe in the stands adds to its appeal. Arnos Vale Stadium in Kingstown, Saint Vincent, typifies the picture-postcard appeal of a Caribbean cricket venue with a spectacular coastal setting that stretch out across the islands of the Grenadines.
