Relaid Chepauk outfield should be good for 10 years: TNCA president Srinivasa Raj

With the ICC T20 World Cup fast approaching, a revamped M.A. Chidambaram Stadium is gearing up to host the extravaganza.

Chennai will host seven matches, six in the group stage and a Super Eight clash next month.

Following the conclusion of last year’s IPL, the TNCA decided to relay the outfield at the Chepauk stadium in preparation for the global event.

“We hadn’t worked on the outfield for more than a decade, and we felt it was time to rework it, especially with weeds starting to grow. We removed the grass and laid new Bermuda grass, and this should be good for the next 10 years,” said TNCA president T.J. Srinivasa Raj.

“When we removed the grass, we also put in a new drainage system in place to ensure that if there is rain, the match can start in 40 minutes after the rain stops. We have installed more intersection pipes so that water can drain in different directions and help us get the ground ready quickly.”

Regarding ticket sales, the president said that of the total 36,000 tickets, about 11,000 will be available to the public, while the remaining will be distributed among the ICC, BCCI, TNCA member clubs, and other government institutions.

Though India doesn’t have a group-stage game here, if the big teams qualify as expected, the Men in Blue could play Australia in a Super Eight fixture in Chennai on February 26.

“Considering Chennai is a cricket-loving city, we expect 60% attendance for the non-India games, especially the evening fixtures,” he added.

Shorter TNPL

Even as preparations for the World Cup are underway, the TNCA has started planning for the 2026 edition of the TNPL. This year will be a landmark one, as it will be the 10th edition. However, given the packed cricketing calendar, the TNPL this year might be shorter, with more double-header games and venues restricted to just two from the usual four.