IND vs ENG 2024: Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot pitch history and Test records
The highly anticipated third Test between India and England is set to begin at the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) Stadium in Rajkot on Thursday, February 15.
The five-match series is currently in balance at 1-1. While England stunned India with a win in Hyderabad, the hosts bounced back in Vizag to level proceedings.
India will welcome the return of local lad Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the second Test due to an injury.
Before the next Test match begins, here's a look at the Test records and pitch history of the SCA Stadium in Rajkot.
Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot Test records
The Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium has hosted only two Test matches so far. The first match took place against England in 2016 and ended in a draw. It was a high-scoring game when India and England met each other in Rajkot. The said match produced 1,457 runs across five days of action.
However, in the second Test against the West Indies, India sealed the game by an innings and 272 runs in 2018.
Here are some other important stats fans should know from previous Tests hosted by Rajkot:
Test Matches played: 2
Matches won by teams batting first: 1
Matches won by teams batting second: 0
Matches tied: 0
Matches drawn: 1
Highest team total: 649/9 dec - India vs. West Indies, 2018
Lowest team total: 172/6 - India vs. England, 2016
Average Run Rate: 3.56
Highest individual score: 139 - Virat Kohli (IND) vs. West Indies, 2018
Best bowling figures (innings): 5/58 - Kuldeep Yadav (IND) vs. West Indies, 2018
Best bowling figures (match): 7/178 - Adil Rashid (ENG) vs. India, 2016
Average first innings score: 593
Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot pitch report
The stadium is situated right in the western part of the country and has hosted plenty of international and domestic contests over the years. The pitch might be the best one to bat in the entire five-match Test series.
The pitch report for the Rajkot Test match between India and England will be broadcast live before the toss takes place.
Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium Rajkot, last Test match
The last Test in Rajkot saw India hammer the West Indies by a huge margin of an innings and 272 runs in October 2018.
Batting first, India piled up a massive 649/9 declared thanks to centuries from Prithvi Shaw (134), Virat Kohli (139), and Ravindra Jadeja (100).
The hosts then bundled out the Windies for 181 and 196 in their two innings, making them fail to adapt to the turning track.
This was India's biggest-ever Test win by an innings margin, showcasing their dominance at home. As many as 29 wickets fell in the Test match, with spinners accounting for 22 of them.