Bad condition of Barabati Stadium. (Photo- PTI)
Odisha’s Barabati Stadium, which once witnessed the golden era of cricket, is today struggling with its old basic deficiencies. This ground, which hosted India’s third ODI match in 1982, where Kapil Dev took his 300th Test wicket, has now become the center of complaints from fans and media. This stadium is once again in the headlines before the first match of the T20 series between India and South Africa on 9 December 2025, where the basic problems remain the same.
very poor seating arrangement
The seating arrangement of the stadium is a matter of biggest concern. Spectators face inconvenience due to the lack of facilities like modern chairs in the huge concrete stands. The situation is not better for the media either. The view of the ground from the press box is spoiled by huge pillars and sightscreens, making it difficult for journalists to work. The fundamental shortcomings of the stadium have come to light several times in recent months.
During the second ODI between India and England in February 2025, there was a malfunction in the floodlights, due to which the match was stopped for 25 minutes. Apart from this, the lack of emergency exit has raised questions regarding security. The fire department had raised the issue of lack of fire extinguishing measures during the same ODI match. It is very difficult to get drinking water for the fans, the toilets are either bad or there is lack of cleanliness. Sometimes the large number of fans also leads to the problem of overcapacity, and black marketing of tickets through free passes has become common. Recently, a stampede like situation was seen during the ticket sale.
Rs 600 crore will be spent on the stadium
Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) is being accused of not making improvements despite funds received from BCCI. Due to these shortcomings, Barabati Stadium is now out of the race for international matches. Hosting test matches now seems like a dream, because the new generation modern stadiums have left it behind. To solve these problems, a plan has been under discussion for the last three years. In this, it is proposed to demolish the existing stadium and build a new stadium with a capacity of 60,000 fans, the estimated cost of which is Rs 600 crore. However, no major change has been seen so far.
Team India’s record in Barabati Stadium
Team India has so far played 23 international matches at Barabati Stadium, which includes 2 Tests, 18 ODIs and 3 T20 matches. During this period, Team India has won 16 matches and lost 6 matches. Here Team India’s record in T20 is nothing special. She has been able to win only one match out of 3 and has lost 2 matches.