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Kaloor Stadium Yellow Arena | |
_in_2022.jpg) The stadium during an Indian Super League match of Kerala Blasters FC | |
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| Location | Kaloor, Kochi, India |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 9°59′50″N 76°18′04″E / 9.99722°N 76.30111°E |
| Public transit |  J. L. N. StadiumKaloor Bus Stand |
| Owner | Greater Cochin Development Authority |
| Operator | Greater Cochin Development Authority |
| Executive suites | 109 |
| Capacity | 40,000[1] |
| Record attendance | 100,000 (India vs Iraq 1997)[2] |
| Surface | Riviera Bermuda Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1996 |
| Renovated | 2000, 2017 |
| Tenants | |
| Kerala State Football Team (1997–present) Kochi Tuskers Kerala (2010 -2011) Kerala Blasters FC (2014–present) India national football team (1997-present) India national cricket team (1998-2014) | |
The Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, also known as Kaloor Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Ernakulam, Kerala, India. Since the 2017 renovation, the stadium has a seating capacity of 40,000.[1] Previously, it was able to host 80,000 spectators, which was reduced to 41,000 for Indian Super League (ISL) matches due to security reasons.[3] It is the home ground of the ISL club Kerala Blasters FC.[4][5][6] The stadium is touted to have hosted one of the loudest audiences for association football matches in the world.[7]
The stadium has played host to a number of international cricket and football matches but after 2014 it didn't hold any cricket match due to ISL. The extensive grounds of the stadium serve as venue for important exhibitions, cinema events and political rallies in the city. The most innovative aspect of the stadium is its unique lighting towers of 2 kW Floodlights which when switched on fully can provide lighting levels for HD telecast. The Structure of the tower is itself one of a kind in India.[8][9] Greater Cochin Development Authority leased out the Jawaharlal Nehru International stadium at Kaloor to the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) for a period of 30 years.[citation needed]
The stadium acts as the home ground for teams including Kerala cricket team, Kerala Blasters FC (Indian Super League). As of 19 August 2017, the stadium has hosted 10 One Day Internationals. Stadium holds the privilege of having the fifth loudest crowd (128 db) in the world,[10] during ISL 2016 final match where Kerala Blasters played against Atletico de Kolkata.
Kochi was one of the six host cities for 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup held in India.[11] It was extensively renovated before the event.[1]
History
Early years and football's popularity
The Kaloor Stadium was originally constructed as a cricket stadium. But considering that Kerala is one of the few regions in India where football enjoys considerable popularity it was used for football matches also. Indeed, in a match between India and Iraq in 1997, approximately 100,000 spectators filled up the venue, thus overcrowding it, which remains a record at this place. This was in the Nehru Cup International Football Tournament in 1997, which was the first tournament at the venue. The stadium won several laurels for being constructed in a timely manner.[12] The stadium was completed under the watchful eyes of late V. Joseph Thomas IPS who was the head of the Greater Cochin Development Authority. He was a huge fan of football from his college days at St. Thomas College, Palai and also served as the patron of the Kerala State Athletics Association.[13] The stadium was inaugurated by then President of India Shankar Dayal Sharma in 1996. It has 1.3 kilometres in outer circle.
International cricket
After 1998, football went down and cricket took the centre-stage for many years, drawing sell-out and high money grossing games. In fact, the highest money grosser at the venue was made in a cricket ODI match between India and its arch-rival Pakistan in April 2005. The first ODI played on this ground was between India and Australia on 1 April 1998.
Kaloor stadium hosted the first match India played after Sachin Tendulkar's retirement. The pavilion was renamed as Sachin Tendulkar pavilion as an honour to him before this match between India and West Indies on 21 November 2013 which India won by 6 wickets.
The stadium underwent a massive renovation including a modern turf, an aesthetic modern roofing and a four-lane road from the south side of the stadium.
The first Indian Premier League game at the stadium was on 9 April 2011, when the Kochi Tuskers Kerala hosted the Royal Challengers Bangalore. It was the first IPL match for the Kochi Tuskers. Five of their 2011 home games were played in this stadium, and the other two were played at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore. The stadium hosted the semi-final and final of the 2013 Duleep Trophy.
Return of football and the ISL
In 2011, Chirag United claimed the tenancy of the venue. However, the premier football club of India was still not able to fill up the stadium's massive capacity.[14] Football returned to prominence at the venue after the launch of Indian Super League in 2014. The stadium is the home ground to Kerala Blasters, one of the teams with the most fanbases in the ISL. Some of the games involving the home team drew crowds in excess of 55,000 in the inaugural edition.[15]
The first Indian Super League game at the stadium was on 6 November 2014, when the Kerala Blasters FC hosted the FC Goa. It was the first ISL match for the Kerala Blasters. The stadium had an average attendance of over 40,000 for the Indian Super League matches in 2014. The game between Kerala Blasters FC and Chennaiyin FC saw 61,323 spectators on 30 November 2014.
The stadium was the venue for 2013 Santosh Trophy finals.
In popular culture
The famous "Maro Maro" song composed by A.R. Rahman for the Tamil movie Boys directed by Shankar, climax scenes of the Tamil movie Velayudham starring Vijay, Malayalam movie Run Baby Run starring Mohanlal and many other Indian Films were shot in the stadium.
ODI matches held
1 April 1998
Scorecard |
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A Jadeja 105 * (109)
MS Kasprowicz 3/50 (8.2 overs) |
AC Gilchrist 61 (45)
Sachin Tendulkar 5/32 (10 overs) |
- India won the toss and elected to bat first.
9 March 2000
Scorecard |
v
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Ajay Jadeja 92 (109)
WJ Cronje 2/48 (8 overs) |
G.Kirsten 115 (123)
Rahul Dravid 2/43 (9 overs) |
- South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first.
13 March 2002
Scorecard |
v
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Mohammad Kaif 56 (78)
Douglas Hondo 4/37 (8.3 overs) |
ADR Campbell 71 (119)
Ajit Agarkar 2/28 (10 overs) |
- India won the toss and elected to bat first.
2 April 2005
Scorecard |
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Virender Sehwag 108 (95)
Arshad Khan 4/33 (6 overs) |
Mohammad Hafeez 42 (75)
Sachin Tendulkar 5/50 (10 overs) |
- India won the toss and elected to bat first.
6 April 2006
Scorecard |
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Geraint Jones 49 (66)
Yuvraj Singh 2/34 (8 overs) |
- England won the toss and elected to bat first.
2 October 2007
Scorecard |
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MS Dhoni 58 (88)
George Hogg 3/40 (9.3 overs) |
- India won the toss and elected to field first.
15 January 2013
Scorecard |
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MS Dhoni 72 (66)
ST Finn 2/51 (10 overs) |
Kevin Pietersen 42 (44)
B Kumar 3/29 (10 overs) |
- India won the toss and elected to bat first.
21 November 2013
Scorecard |
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Virat Kohli 86 (84)
J Holder 2/48 (8 overs) |
DM Bravo 59 (77)
R Jadeja 3/37 (10 overs) |
- West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first.
8 October 2014
Scorecard |
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Shikhar Dhawan 68 (92)
Marlon Samuels 2/10 (3 overs) |
Marlon Samuels 126 (116)
Mohammed Shami 4/66 (9 overs) |
- India won the toss and elected to field first.
Indian Premier League
The cricket stadium in Kochi was expected to serve the Chennai Super Kings or the Royal Challengers Bangalore as a home venue apart from Chennai and Bangalore for the initial IPL seasons. However both the franchises initially refused and later promised to reconsider the offer, fearing a decline in revenues. Eventually no matches of the first 3 IPL seasons were played in Kochi.
The auction for expanding the initial eight franchises to ten for the 2011 season was held on 22 March 2010. Rendezvous Sports World made the second highest bid of ₹ 15333 million, and elected to base its team in Kochi.[16]
The first IPL match held at the stadium was between Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Royal Challengers Bangalore on 9 April 2011. The match was also Kochi Tuskers first ever IPL match.
9 April 2011
(Scorecard) |
Kochi Tuskers Kerala
161/5 (20 overs) |
v
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Royal Challengers Bangalore
162/4 (18.4 overs) |
B McCullum 45 (32)
D Vettori 1–17 (4 overs) |
AB de Villiers 54 (40)
R Jadeja 1–28 (4 overs) |
- Kochi Tuskers Kerala won the toss and elected to bat
18 April 2011
(Scorecard) |
Kochi Tuskers Kerala
135/3 (15 overs) |
v
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Chennai Super Kings
131/4 (17 overs) |
B McCullum 47 (33)
R Ashwin 2–31 (4 overs) |
SK Raina 50 (40)
RV Gomez 1–20 (2 overs) |
- Kochi Tuskers won the toss and elected to field
- Match reduced to 17 overs per side due to rain. Kochi's target was adjusted to 135 runs from 17 overs via the Duckworth–Lewis method.
27 April 2011
(Scorecard) |
Kochi Tuskers Kerala
74 (16.3 overs) |
v
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Deccan Chargers
129/6 (20 overs) |
- Kochi Tuskers Kerala won the toss and elected to field.
30 April 2011
(Scorecard) |
Kochi Tuskers Kerala
119 (18.5 overs) |
v
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Delhi Daredevils
157/7 (20 overs) |
- Delhi Daredevils won the toss and elected to bat.
5 May 2011
(Scorecard) |
Kochi Tuskers Kerala
156/5 (20 overs) |
v
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Kolkata Knight Riders
139/7 (20 overs) |
- Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and elected to field.
ODI records at the venue
Batting
- Highest Total: 321/6 (50 overs) by West Indies vs. India on 8 October 2014.
- Lowest Total: 191 (48.3 overs) by India vs. Zimbabwe on 13 March 2002.
- Most Runs : Rahul Dravid (223 runs from 292 balls in 5 matches)
- Highest Score: Marlon Samuels (West Indies) 126* runs from 116 balls vs. India on 8 October 2014.
- Average 1st innings total : 273
- Average 2nd innings total : 225
Bowling
- Most Wickets : Sachin Tendulkar (10 Wickets, 33 Overs, 4 Matches)
- Best Bowling : Sachin Tendulkar 5/32 (India vs. Australia on 1 April 1998)