Former international venue · Tamil Nadu

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai

Park Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Stadium guide with history, famous matches and records.

Capacity 40,000
Opened 1946
9 Tests
Floodlit

Photo: 2ibkumar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium: key facts

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is a multi-sport venue in Park Town, Chennai, on the site of the former Corporation Stadium. It hosted nine Test matches between 1956 and 1965, but no longer hosts international cricket. The present complex is used mainly for football, athletics and indoor sports.

Location: Park Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Capacity: 40,000The present stadium capacity is listed as 40,000; the original Corporation Stadium was reported at 20,000 before its 1992 refurbishment.
Opened: 1946
First international: 6 January 1956India v New Zealand, 5th Test
Owned or run by: Government of Tamil Nadu
Home teams: Indian national cricket team (1956–1965)
Floodlights: Yes
Former names: Corporation Stadium
Status: Former international venue

International matches hosted

9Tests

Counts up to 6 June 2026; first international 6 January 1956, last 27 February 1965.

History of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

The Corporation Stadium was completed in 1946 on land taken from People's Park in central Madras. Its original layout had six cricket pitches, football and hockey fields, and a wide athletics track. The Greater Chennai Corporation archives and local histories describe it as a civic sports ground rather than a purpose-built cricket-only venue.

Cricket moved there from Chepauk in the mid-1950s, amid a dispute over access to the Chepauk lease. The first Test at the ground began on 6 January 1956, and the last began on 27 February 1965. Nine Tests were played in that period, including India's first series win over England in 1964; cricket subsequently returned to Chepauk as its facilities and administration changed.

The old ground was refurbished in 1992 and renamed after Jawaharlal Nehru, with the upgraded venue used for the 1993 Nehru Cup football tournament. A separate 8,000-seat indoor stadium was added in 1995. Later work included an athletics track, football turf, floodlights and a warm-up facility. The complex was renovated again before the Khelo India Youth Games in January 2024, while the open-air venue's present role is mainly football and athletics.

Milestones

1946
The Corporation Stadium was completed on part of People's Park in central Madras.
1956
It staged its first Test, India v New Zealand, beginning on 6 January.
1964
India secured its first Test series win over England at the ground.
1965
The final Test at the venue began on 27 February, also against New Zealand.
1992–1993
The stadium was refurbished, renamed Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and used for the 1993 Nehru Cup.
2024
Following further renovation, the stadium was among the venues for the Khelo India Youth Games in January.

Famous matches at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

6 January 1956
India v New Zealand, 5th Test
India won by an innings and 109 runs after Vinoo Mankad made 231 and Pankaj Roy 173. Their 413-run opening partnership was then a world record and remains the ground's defining Test achievement.
10 January 1964
India v England, 1st Test
India's win in this five-Test series helped secure its first series triumph over England. Bapu Nadkarni bowled 21 successive maiden overs during England's first innings.
27 February 1965
India v New Zealand, 1st Test
This drawn match was the final Test played at the Corporation/Nehru Stadium. Vijay Manjrekar made an unbeaten 102 in his last Test innings.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium records

Researched ground records, checked against at least one published scorecard source.

Ground records at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Record	Figure	Match
Highest opening partnership in a Test at the ground	413	Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy, India v New Zealand, 1956
India's highest Test total at the ground	537/3 declared	India v New Zealand, 1956
Most successive maiden overs in a Test innings at the ground	21	Bapu Nadkarni, India v England, 1964

How to reach Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

Nearest airport: Chennai International Airport; use the city road network or metro connection to Central.
By train: Chennai Central and Park Town suburban railway stations are beside the stadium complex.
By metro: Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Metro; Chennai Metro lists a B5 entrance for Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium.
By road: The venue is on Sydenhams Road in Park Town, beside Chennai Central and Ripon Buildings.
Address: Sydenhams Road, Park Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium: questions and answers

When was Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai built?

The original Corporation Stadium was completed in 1946. It was refurbished in 1992 and renamed Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

How many international cricket matches were played there?

Nine men's Test matches were played at the ground, from January 1956 to February 1965. It has recorded no ODIs or T20Is.

Why does the stadium no longer host international cricket?

Cricket returned to Chepauk after the 1965 season as the Tamil Nadu cricket administration took control there and developed the ground. The Nehru Stadium later focused on football, athletics and other sports.

How do you reach the stadium by public transport?

Use Chennai Central or Park Town railway stations. Chennai Metro's Central station information also identifies a B5 entrance for the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium.

More cricket stadiums in Tamil Nadu

Every ground in India that has hosted an international, with its history, capacity and pitch. See all cricket stadiums in India.

Sources for this stadium guide