Newly built cricket stadium in Ranchi is all set host its inaugural One Day International during India-England ODI series in January 2013.
The Times of India writes that satisfied with the facilities and condition of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) stadium, the three-member English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) team has okayed the venue for the One-Day International between India and England scheduled to be held here on January 19, JSCA president Amitabh Choudhary said on Thursday. According to the tour schedule released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday, the third one-dayer will be held here.
The ECB team comprised director of cricket operations John Carr, director of security Reg Dickason and Ian Smith gave final nod after expressing satisfaction over the infrastructure. Reading out comments of former Australia captain and member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) David Boon, who visited the JSCA stadium on October 2, Choudhary said: "I must congratulate JSCA for the exceptional job done."
Meanwhile a report in the Deccan Herald says that Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead the Indian team in the first match to be played at the newly constructed international-standard cricket stadium in his hometown on Jan 19 against England.
The stadium will be formally inaugurated Jan 17 in presence of the Indian and England teams.
The ICC three weeks ago had sent a team under David Boon to inspect the stadium and according to Chaudhary, the former Australian cricketer was happy with the state of affairs.
"In India no stadium has arrangements to sit on the grass. In the Ranchi stadium this arrangement has been made which is comparable to some of the foreign countries," a JSCA official was quoted in the report.