The Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore is the ideal location for Team India’s three-match One-Day International series against New Zealand, where they are aiming for a 2-1 victory. The Men in Blue have an incredible record in this format. The Indian squad will play their eighth ODI encounter in Indore on Sunday, January 18, and they will be looking to win.
The pitch in Indore is a spicy plate where batters may have a hearty meal of runs as they enter the City of the Foodies. The top-order batsmen who are scheduled to play on Sunday, Rohit Sharma (205 runs in 5 matches), Shubman Gill (216 runs in 2 matches), and Devon Conway (138 runs in 1 match), have a stellar record at this location and are anticipated to enjoy the Holkar plate for the third ODI as well.
However, bowlers—particularly left-arm spinners—can ruin the broth. With the ball in their hands, India’s slow left-arm bowlers Kuldeep Yadav (5 wickets in two games) and Ravindra Jadeja (6 wickets in two games) have dominated in Indore. Kuldeep is tied with former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh for second place on the list, while Jadeja and Sreesanth have the joint-highest number of wickets taken at the venue.
In terms of the Indian team’s record at Holkar in 50-over internationals, the Men in Blue have participated in seven games there and have consistently won. The Rahul Dravid-led Indian team defeated Andrew Strauss’ England by seven wickets in the first-ever game played at this location back in 2006.
India played the West Indies in a bilateral series here five years later, and the match is still remembered today because experienced opener Virender Sehwag hit 219 in the day-night match to record his first-ever double century. For a long time, Sehwag’s score stood as the highest individual score in ODIs. Additionally, in the same match, India reached 418-5, their highest-ever ODI total.
India’s performance in ODIs at Indore’s Holkar Cricket Stadium
| Matches Played | 7 |
| Matches Won | 7 |
| Matches Lost | 0 |
| Tied / No Results | 0 |
| First-ever Fixture | April 15, 2006 (vs England — Won) |
| Most-recent Fixture | September 24, 2023 (vs Australia — Won) |
In addition to the ground’s ability to accommodate around 30,000 spectators, the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association has upgraded the venue in the centre of the city. Cricket enthusiasts in Indore are in for an exciting match between the Shubman Gill-led team and the BlackCaps, with the ideal environment for the series finale.
India
