The Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore is regarded as a high-scoring venue in all formats of the game. It is also among the smallest cricket stadiums in the world. 

Formerly known as the Maharani Usharaje Trust Cricket Ground, the governing body - Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) - renamed it after the famous Holkar dynasty in 2010. Madhya Pradesh, too, play their home domestic games at this venue.

Established in 1990, the venue has a seating capacity of 30,000 spectators. Ever since, the Indian cricket team has a dominant record here across formats, losing only one international game so far. 

The first Test at the Holkar Cricket Stadium was contested between October 8 and 11, 2016, with India beating New Zealand by 321 runs. The ground became the 22nd Test venue in the country.

The Indian cricket team also won against Bangladesh by an innings and 130 runs in November 2019 to maintain their 100 per cent success record at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Test cricket.    

Holkar Stadium Test records 

Most runs

Former Indian vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has scored the most runs in Tests at the Holkar Cricket Stadium. The right-handed batter amassed 297 runs in two matches, averaging 148.50. 

Rahane has a highest score of 188, which he slammed against New Zealand in the inaugural Test at the venue. He also scored a fifty against Bangladesh in 2019.

Virat Kohli (250) and Mayank Agarwal (243) complete the top three of the most runs list. 

Most wickets

Ravichandran Ashwin has a prolific record at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in the longest format. The off-spinner has grabbed 18 wickets in only two Tests, while maintaining an average of 12.50 runs per wicket and an economy rate of 3.14. 

Ashwin, who has the most wickets at the venue, is 10 wickets ahead of the next best - Ravindra Jadeja. The left-arm spinner, meanwhile, has picked eight wickets at an average of 30.62, including best bowling figures of 4/63.

Highest team total

The Indian cricket team has created a batting paradise at Indore. In their two first innings assignments so far, India have notched totals of 557/7d - the highest team total in Tests at the Holkar Cricket Stadium - and 493/6d.

Along with the above-mentioned ton by Ajinkya Rahane against New Zealand, Virat Kohli, too, joined the party with a double century to help India comfortably cross the 500-run mark.

Lowest team total

India has the record for the lowest team total at the Holkar Cricket Stadium. The Rohit Sharma-led side was bowled out for 109 within two sessions in the third Test at the venue, courtesy of Matthew Kuhnemann’s five-for in March 2023. The Aussies went on to register a nine-wicket win in the match.

Bangladesh’s 150 against India in the second Test at the venue is the second-lowest team total.

Highest partnership

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane stitched together a partnership of 365 runs for the fourth wicket against New Zealand, which holds the Test record at the Holkar Cricket Stadium. Both batters slammed massive hundreds, setting up India’s mammoth victory in October 2016.

Mayank Agarwal was involved in two century-stands against Bangladesh in November 2019. The partnerships of 190 and 123 with Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja, respectively, rank second and third on this list.

Average first innings score

The average first innings score at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Test cricket is 353 runs. The pitch, meanwhile, gets better for batting on the second and third days of the match, raising the average second innings score to 396.

The average third and fourth innings score at the venue is 214 and 153, respectively.

Highest individual score

Mayank Agarwal’s 243 against Bangladesh in November 2019 is the highest individual score in Test cricket at the venue. Agarwal’s knock included 28 fours and eight maximums, while he maintained a strike rate of 73.63. 

India’s former captain, Virat Kohli was the first double-centurion in Tests at the Indore stadium. He smashed 211 runs off 366 balls against New Zealand to help the team post a gigantic first inning score.

Best bowling figures

Nathan Lyon has the best bowling figures in an inning at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Tests. He helped Australia to a nine-wicket win during the third Test of their 2023 tour of India. He finished with figures of 8/64 during India's second inning and helped Australia to a win.

Ravichandran Ashwin has the best bowling figures of 13/140 in a Test match at the venue. The Tamil Nadu-based all-rounder, who is one of the top wicket-takers in the longest format for India, picked up seven wickets in the second innings against New Zealand in October 2016. 

In the same match, Ashwin scalped six batters in the first innings to record the best bowling figures of 13/140 in a Test match at the venue.

 

Photo credits: Alamy