Established in 1974, Wankhede Stadium is a world-class cricket stadium located in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Situated near the Marine Lines area in Mumbai in the southern suburbs of the city and opposite the scenic Marine Drive promenade, the stadium was renovated for the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
Operating under the aegis of the Mumbai Cricket Association, the stadium is home to the domestic Mumbai team in first-class cricket and the Indian T20 side Team Mumbai.
Wankhede Stadium staged its first international Test match in the 1974-75 season against a visiting West Indies. Out of the 26 Tests held at the Wankhede, India have emerged victorious on 12 occasions.
Currently, the stadium has a seating capacity of around 33,500 including a student gallery and it also possesses the world's largest manually operated scoreboard.
The venue has seen a number of iconic events in Indian history, like India winning the 2011 Cricket World and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement in 2013.
Here, we look at the Test and first-class records made at the Wankhede Stadium..
Wankhede Stadium Test records
Highest team total: India posted a mammoth 631 runs in the first innings against a visiting England side in the fourth Test of the English’s 2016 tour after riding on skipper Virat Kohli’s 235. This is the highest team total at the Wankhede Stadium in Tests. After India’s towering score, England replied back with a defiant 400 in the first innings but was then skittled out for 195 in the second, courtesy Ravichandran Ashwin’s magical spell of 6/55. India emerged victorious by an innings and 36 runs to take a 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Lowest team total: During the second Test of New Zealand's 2021 tour of India, the Kiwis were bundled out for just 62 runs in their first innings and this is the lowest score by any team at this venue. They managed to score another 167 runs in their second innings and suffered a 372-run loss at the hands of India in December 2021.
Highest individual score: Former West Indian great Clive Lloyd boasts the highest individual score at Wankhede Stadium in Test cricket. The Caribbean legend smashed an unbeaten 242 in the fifth and final Test of the West Indies’ tour to India in 1975 and ended up defeating the hosts by 201 runs. The visitors won the series 3-2.
Best bowling figures: The same match that witnessed New Zealand posting the lowest team total at this venue also saw Ajaz Patel finish with the best bowling figures on this ground. He finished with mind-blowing figures of 10/119 after claiming all 10 Indian wickets during their first innings to join the elite club of cricketers who have achieved this unique feat of 10 scalps in an inning by the same bowler. He also took four wickets in the second innings but his effort wasn't enough to deny India a win.
Most runs: Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar has scored the most runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in Tests. The right-handed batter has amassed 1,122 runs in 11 Tests at an impressive average of 56.10. He smashed five hundreds and three fifties at this venue.
Most wickets: Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin holds the record for taking the most wickets at the Wankhede Stadium. The right-arm spinner bagged 38 wickets in five Test matches with best bowling figures of 6/55 at an average of 18.42.
Highest partnership: The highest partnership in Tests on this ground was stitched together by Ravi Shastri and Dilip Vengsarkar in October 1986. During the third Test of a three-match series against Australia, the Indian duo put on an unbeaten 298-run stand for the sixth wicket in their first innings. Shastri made 121 and Vengsarkar scored 164 as both teams eventually settled for a draw.
Wankhede Stadium first-class records
Highest team total: Mumbai amassed a mammoth 855/6d against Hyderabad in a drawn Ranji Trophy semi-final in the 1991 season. It is the highest team total ever posted at the venue.
Lowest team total: Bihar posted a paltry 43 versus Mumbai in the 1975 first-class season at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. It remains the lowest score ever registered on this ground.
Highest individual score: Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar hammered 377 runs for Mumbai against Hyderabad in the 1991 Ranji Trophy semi-final. It remains the highest individual score registered at the Wankhede Stadium.
Best bowling figures in an innings: Mumbai’s Ankeet Chavan holds the record for best bowling figures in an innings at the Wankhede Stadium. The left-arm spinner grabbed nine wickets for 23 runs for Mumbai against Punjab in the 2012 first-class season with the match ending in a thrilling draw.
Highest partnership: Maharashtra’s Swapnil Gugale and Ankit Bawne hold the record for the highest partnership at the venue courtesy their unbeaten 594-run stand for the third wicket against Delhi at the Wankhede Stadium in the 2016 first-class season.
Featured photo: Punit Paranjpe / AFP