By Scrollsocial 
Delhi’s famous Feroz Shah Kotla, the second-oldest cricket stadium in India, will be renamed Arun Jaitley Stadium in praise of the former Union finance minister who passed away recently.
The stadium, however, will also remain known by its geographical location, the Feroz Shah Kotla, following the 14th century monument which is built next to it.
Arun Jaitley, who was president of the DDCA from 1999 to 2013, passed away on August 24. “What can be a greater tribute than to have the stadium named after the man who got it rebuilt.
It was due to Arun Jaitley’s support and assurance that players like Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, and Ashish Nehra made India proud,” Rajat Sharma told.
Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rajat Sharma informed TOI, “We are not substituting the name. It will remain the Feroz Shah Kotla ground. It will also be called Arun Jaitley Stadium. It is an attachment to that (old name).”
Multiple former Delhi cricketers praised the move, with ex-India opener Chetan Chauhan saying, ” Arun Jaitley deserves it. He helped get the stadium constructed. It was in a mess earlier. He got all the permissions from different departments.”
Vijay Dahiya, the former India wicketkeeper, said: “This is a great appearance from DDCA. Jaitley was a fantastic administrator. His love for and knowledge of the game were remarkable. A lot of us grew into recognition because of him.”
Ex-India pacer Atul Wassan stated, “The stadium exists because of Arun Jaitley. It is a sign of appreciation. But Feroz Shah Kotla’s name has to be there. That is the history you can’t do away with.”
The renaming function of the Stadium will take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on September 12.
Arun Jaitley Stadium Pitch Reports, History and Matches Played
Here are the complete details about Feroz Shah Kotla, now known as the Arun Jaitley Stadium, including its history, matches and pitch reports:
Historical Background:
- Established: 1883, making it the second-oldest international cricket stadium in India after Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
- Original name: Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, named after the nearby Feroz Shah Kotla Fort, built by Sultan Feroz Shah Tughlaq in the 14th century.
- Location: Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi.
- Home teams: Delhi (Ranji Trophy) and Delhi Capitals (IPL).
- Capacity: Approximately 55,000 spectators.
Historical Significance and Matches:
- Hosted its first Test match in 1948 between India and West Indies.
- Famous for Anil Kumble’s 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan in 1999, one of the most legendary moments in cricket.
Other historic moments:
- Sunil Gavaskar equaled Don Bradman’s 29-century record in 1983–84.
- Sachin Tendulkar surpassed Gavaskar’s record with his 35th Test century in 2005–06.
- India won 9 out of the last 10 Tests played between 1993 and 2007 here.
- Continues to host international Tests, ODIs, T20Is, and IPL games, including major fixtures in IPL 2025 such as DC vs MI and DC vs RCB.
Pitch Report:
- The pitch traditionally favors spin bowlers and is considered slow and low, helping spinners get turn and bounce.
- In ODIs and T20s, the short boundaries and quick outfield make it a batting-friendly surface, leading to several high-scoring matches.
- However, it has occasionally faced criticism — for instance, a 2009 ODI against Sri Lanka was abandoned due to a poor surface.