The newly-renovated Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad has been renamed Narendra Modi Stadium after President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the ground on Wednesday.
Home Minister Amit Shah, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah were present at the event.
The stadium is the largest cricket ground in the world with a capacity to seat 1,10,000, surpassing that of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which can accommodate 90,000. The third Test between India and England, starting Wednesday, will be the first international match to be played at the venue.
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India and England come into the pink ball Test on Wednesday with the series level at 1-1.
The Narendra Modi Stadium will also host the fourth Test as well as the five-match T20I series between the two sides.
The stadium will be a part of the planned Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in the city.
“Coupled with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave and Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, a sports complex will also be built in Naranpura. These three will be equipped to host any international sports event,” the home minister said at the event.
“Ahmedabad will be known as the ‘sports city’ of India,” he added.
Sports Minister Rijiju said it is a proud moment for India.
“Not just for cricket but it’s a proud moment for India. Besides being the largest cricket stadium, it’s also one of the most modern stadiums in the world,” he had said earlier.
The stadium also held the knockout stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy earlier this year.
