M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, popularly known as Chepauk, is one of the oldest and most iconic cricket venues in India. Located in Chennai, this historic ground has witnessed many memorable matches across formats.
The stadium is currently in focus as it is hosting matches during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, including the Super 8 stage. Let’s take a complete look at the stadium overview, pitch behavior, and T20I records below.
Chepauk Stadium Overview
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium |
| Known As | Chepauk Stadium |
| Location | Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Capacity | 50,000 |
| Established | 1916 |
| Home Teams | Tamil Nadu, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) |
| Ends | Anna Pavilion End, V. Pattabhiraman Gate End |
| Floodlights | Yes (since 1996) |
| Time Zone | UTC +05:30 (IST) |
Chepauk Pitch Report – Batting or Bowling Friendly?
The pitch at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium is known to be slow and spin-friendly.
The surface offers some assistance to fast bowlers in the early overs with a little seam movement. However, the pitch slows down as the match progresses, making stroke play difficult.
Spinners get the most help here. The ball grips and turns in the middle overs, which makes scoring difficult for batters.
In the death overs, the surface becomes slower, and hitting big shots becomes challenging. Dew is usually not a major factor here.
Overall, this is not a high-scoring venue. In T20 matches, a total of 160–175 is considered a good and competitive score. Teams often prefer to bat first and defend the total.
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium T20I Records
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 16 |
| Won Batting First | 9 |
| Won Bowling First | 6 |
| Average 1st Innings Score | 165 |
| Average 2nd Innings Score | 137 |
| Highest Total | 200/4 – Afghanistan vs Canada |
| Lowest Total | 80/10 – Pakistan Women vs England Women |
| Highest Chase | 183/5 – New Zealand vs Afghanistan |
| Lowest Defended | 103/8 – West Indies Women vs Pakistan Women |
Also see: Chepauk Stadium IPL Records & Stats
ODI Records at Chepauk
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 39 |
| Won Batting First | 18 |
| Won Bowling First | 20 |
| Average 1st Innings Score | 229 |
| Average 2nd Innings Score | 208 |
| Highest Total | 337/7 – Asia XI vs Africa XI |
| Lowest Total | 69/10 – Kenya vs New Zealand |
| Highest Chase | 291/2 – West Indies vs India |
| Lowest Defended | 171/10 – England vs South Africa |
Test Records at Chepauk
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 37 |
| Won Batting First | 14 |
| Won Bowling First | 10 |
| Average 1st Innings Score | 348 |
| Average 2nd Innings Score | 332 |
| Average 3rd Innings Score | 245 |
| Average 4th Innings Score | 157 |
| Highest Total | 759/7 – India vs England |
| Lowest Total | 83/10 – India vs England |
| Highest Chase | 387/4 – India vs England |
| Lowest Defended | 171/10 – India vs Australia |
Also see: Sanju Samson Likely to Replace Rinku Singh for Zimbabwe Match in T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8
T20 World Cup 2026 at Chepauk
- Spinners will play a key role.
- Big scores above 180 will be difficult.
- Batting first is usually the safer option.
- Teams with strong spin attacks will have an advantage.
FAQs
1. What is the capacity of M. A. Chidambaram Stadium?
The stadium has a seating capacity of around 50,000 spectators.
2. Is Chepauk pitch batting or bowling friendly?
The pitch is spin-friendly and slow, which makes batting difficult in the second innings.
3. What is a good T20 score at Chepauk?
A score of 160–175 is considered competitive.
4. Should teams bat or bowl first at Chepauk?
Teams usually prefer to bat first because the pitch slows down later.
