The Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune hosted its first international match on December 20, 2012, with the first T20I of the two-match series between India and England. The host won the contest by five wickets.
The MCA Stadium made its ODI bow the following year on October 13, 2013, with an India-Australia match. The series opener of the seven-match ODI duel, which produced some high-scoring games, was won by the visitors by a margin of 72 runs.
The venue made its entry into Test cricket in February 2017, again with an India-Australia duel with the visitors winning the match by 333 runs.
The venue has played host to a total of four T20Is, 12 ODIs, including five matches in the 2023 ODI World Cup, and two Test matches.
On that note, let us have a detailed look at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium Test records and stats.
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium Test records and stats
Highest Total
India’s aggregate of 601/5d against South Africa in an October 2019 Test match is the highest total by any team in an innings at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
Skipper Virat Kohli led from the front with an unbeaten double century (254*) with opener Mayank Agarwal also scoring a hundred (108). Cheteshwar Pujara (58), Ajinkya Rahane (59) and Ravindra Jadeja (91) also chipped in with half-centuries to help the team’s cause.
India’s huge total helped the team to beat the Proteas convincingly by an innings and 137 runs.
Lowest Total
India’s first-innings total of 105 in the first Test of a four-match series is the lowest in a Test innings by a team at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. Incidentally, India’s 107 runs in the second innings of the same Test is the second-lowest total at the venue.
Left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe was the star of the match recording a match haul of 12/70 to spin Australia to a 333-run victory in the series opener.
Most runs
Virat Kohli leads the list of players with the most runs in Test matches at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The middle-order batter has amassed 267 runs from three innings at an astonishing average of 133.50.
His tally includes a mammoth unbeaten knock of 254 which helped India beat South Africa by an innings and 137 runs in the second Test of a three-match series in October 2019.
Most wickets
Ravichandran Ashwin leads the bowling charts in Tests played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune with a tally of 13 wickets from two matches at an average of 22.76 and a strike rate of 51.92.
The off-spinner registered two four-wicket hauls in the four innings he bowled at this venue with the 4/69 that he picked up against South Africa being his best figures in an innings.
Highest individual score
Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 254 against South Africa in the second Test of a three-match series in October 2019 is the highest individual score by a batter in Tests at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
Kohli’s monumental knock included 33 fours and two sixes and powered India to the highest Test total recorded at the venue, 601/5d. He was also adjudged the Player of the Match in India’s massive win by an innings and 137 runs.
Best bowling figures in a match
Australian Steve O’Keefe, with figures of 6/35 against India in the first innings of the series opener of a four-match Test series in 2017, holds the record for best bowling figures in an innings at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
The left-arm spinner also recorded identical figures of 6/35 in the second innings to help Australia beat India by 333 runs. His match haul of 12/70 is also the best bowling figures registered by any bowler in a Test match at this venue.
Highest Partnership
Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja’s 225-run stand for the fifth wicket against South Africa in the second Test of a three-match series in October 2019 is the highest partnership for any wicket in Tests played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 254 while Ravindra Jadeja (91) was unlucky to miss out on a well-deserved century as the pair batted the visitors out of the match. Kohli smashed 33 fours and two sixes whereas Jadeja's knock included eight fours and two sixes.
The partnership powered India to 601/5d as the visitors succumbed to an innings and 137-run defeat.
Photo credit: Imago
