International venue · Tamil Nadu

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Chepauk, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. 42 completed matches stored since 25 Jan 2025.

Capacity 38,200
Opened 1916
35 Tests
28 ODIs
10 T20Is
Floodlit

Photo: Faheem Hussain / SPORTZPICS for BCCI, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium: key facts

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, commonly called Chepauk, is a historic international cricket ground in Chennai's Chepauk neighbourhood. Established in 1916, it has hosted Tests since 1934 and remains the home venue of Tamil Nadu and Chennai Super Kings. The stadium has 38,200 listed seats and is operated by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association.

Location: Chepauk, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Capacity: 38,200Published figures vary slightly. The current ground and Commons references give 38,200; a 2023 venue report listed 38,175, with some seats unavailable during the World Cup.
Opened: 1916
First international: 10 February 1934India v England, 1st Test
Owned or run by: Tamil Nadu Cricket Association
Home teams: Tamil Nadu, Chennai Super Kings
Ends: Anna Pavilion End and V. Pattabhiraman Gate End
Floodlights: Yes
Former names: Madras Cricket Club Ground; Chepauk Stadium
Status: International venue

International matches hosted

35Tests
28ODIs
10T20Is
1Women's Tests
11Women's ODIs
4Women's T20Is

Counts up to 6 June 2026; first international 10 February 1934.

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium pitch report

How the surface usually plays, then the figures from completed matches stored at this ground (average first-innings score is the median).

The square is built on clay and red soil. Chepauk has often assisted spin as matches wear on, but curators have also produced reliable batting surfaces and restored bounce after a period when it was lower. The square has nine pitches and receives regular maintenance. Dew depends on preceding rain and evening conditions, while the improved drainage helps the outfield recover after showers.

Clay and red-soil base
Spin can become influential as the surface ages
Good preparation can make it a true batting surface
Dew varies with rainfall and humidity
Multi-layer drainage and perforated pipes improve recovery after rain

Pitch and toss figures from stored matches

Pitch and toss figures at MA Chidambaram Stadium by format
Format	Matches	Avg 1st innings	Bat-first wins	Chose to bowl	Toss winner won	Highest total
T20 and shorter	35	182	49%	60%	51%	256/4 India, 26 Feb 2026
One-day (ODI and List A)	4	287	50%	25%	25%	412/10 Australia W, 20 Sept 2025
Test and first-class	3	184	33%	67%	100%	708/10 East Zone, 6 Sept 2026

Upcoming matches at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium

No upcoming fixtures at this ground are confirmed.

History of M. A. Chidambaram Stadium

The ground began hosting Presidency matches in 1916 and became one of Madras's main cricket venues. Its first men's Test was played from 10 February 1934, when India met England. The venue later hosted the first Ranji Trophy match staged there, with A. G. Ram Singh's bowling helping Madras defeat Mysore in a single day. Chepauk's Test calendar was long associated with the Pongal period.

India recorded its first Test win at the ground in 1952, beating England by an innings and eight runs. The venue has since been used for men's and women's Tests, one-day internationals and Twenty20 internationals. It hosted its first men's ODI in 1987 and its first men's T20I in 2012. The ground's official name honours M. A. Chidambaram, a former BCCI and Tamil Nadu Cricket Association president.

The stadium has been modernised in stages. New stands and a redevelopment programme were prepared for the 2011–12 period, while later work addressed seating, roofs and match-day facilities. A Supreme Court-related dispute over unauthorised construction led to the removal of three stands in the mid-2010s. The venue also relaid its outfield with layered soil and perforated pipes after wet-outfield problems in 2005.

Chepauk continues to host international cricket, Indian Premier League matches and domestic fixtures. LED floodlights replaced older metal-halide systems before the 2023 World Cup, improving uniformity and reducing power use. The ground staged matches during the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup, and by 6 June 2026 had hosted 35 men's Tests, 28 men's ODIs and 10 men's T20Is, alongside women's internationals.

Milestones

1916
The ground began hosting Presidency cricket matches.
1934
India and England played the venue's first men's Test from 10 February.
1952
India secured its first Test victory at the ground, against England.
1983
Sunil Gavaskar made his record-breaking 30th Test hundred at Chepauk.
1987
The venue hosted its first men's ODI, India v Australia in the World Cup.
1996
Floodlights were in place for the 1996 World Cup period.
2012
India and New Zealand played the first men's T20I at the ground.
2023
LED floodlights and other venue works supported the men's ODI World Cup.
2026
The stadium hosted matches in the Men's T20 World Cup, with the listed last international on 26 February.

Famous matches at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium

6 January 1952
India v England, 2nd Test
India won by an innings and eight runs. It was India's first Test victory at Chepauk.
13 January 1983
India v West Indies, 2nd Test
Sunil Gavaskar scored his 30th Test century at the ground, then a world record for Test hundreds.
18 September 1987
India v Australia, 1st Test
The match ended in a tie, only the second tied Test at that time and the first involving India.
28 February 1999
India v Pakistan, 2nd Test
Pakistan won a close Test at Chepauk. The visiting team acknowledged the Chennai crowd after the match.
26 February 2026
India v Zimbabwe, T20I
By 6 June 2026 this match was the last men's T20I at the venue.

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium records

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

Ground records at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium
Record	Figure	Match
India's first Test win at the ground	Won by an innings and 8 runs	India v England, 1951-52
Most Test wickets on debut at the venue	16/136	Narendra Hirwani, India v West Indies, 1988
First men's ODI at the venue	India v Australia	1987 World Cup
Record Test century milestone	Gavaskar's 30th Test hundred	India v West Indies, 1983
Highest ODI innings at the venue	194	Saeed Anwar, Pakistan v India, Independence Cup, 1997

How to reach M. A. Chidambaram Stadium

Nearest airport: Chennai International Airport (MAA); continue by taxi or Chennai Metro towards Government Estate.
By train: Chintadripet station is about a 14-minute walk; Chepauk MRTS station also serves the neighbourhood.
By metro: Government Estate on the Blue Line, about a 9-minute walk from the M. J. Gopalan Gate area.
By road: The stadium is in Chepauk, near Wallajah Road, Victoria Hostel Road and Kamarajar Salai. Match-day traffic restrictions and parking controls can change.
Address: Victoria Hostel Road, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600005

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium: questions and answers

When was M. A. Chidambaram Stadium built?

The ground dates to 1916, when it began hosting Presidency matches. Its first men's Test was played in February 1934.

What is the capacity of Chepauk Stadium?

The listed capacity is 38,200. Some event-day figures are lower because of sight screens, camera positions and restricted seats.

Who owns and operates M. A. Chidambaram Stadium?

The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association operates the stadium and is the cricket body associated with the venue.

Which teams play at the stadium?

Tamil Nadu uses Chepauk for domestic cricket, while Chennai Super Kings use it as their IPL home venue.

What is the nearest metro station to Chepauk Stadium?

Government Estate on Chennai Metro's Blue Line is the nearest listed metro station, roughly a nine-minute walk from the M. J. Gopalan Gate area.

What is the pitch like at Chepauk?

The clay-and-red-soil surface can assist spin, especially as a match progresses, but well-prepared pitches have also offered good batting conditions and usable bounce.

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