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=1981: India’s first home One Day International=
[https://epaper.indiatimes.com/article-share?article=25_11_2025_023_002_cap_TOI Arnab Mukherji & Sabu Cherian, TNN, Nov 25, 2025: ''The Times of India'']

[[File: 1981, India’s first home One Day International.jpg|1981, India’s first home One Day International <br/> From: [https://epaper.indiatimes.com/article-share?article=25_11_2025_023_002_cap_TOI Arnab Mukherji & Sabu Cherian, TNN, Nov 25, 2025: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]] 

Ask any cricket fan where India’s first One Day International on home ground was, and you’ll likely hear Mumbai, Kolkata or Delhi. The correct answer reveals something essential about how Indian cricket has evolved, not through its traditional power centres, but through unlikely pioneers. On Nov 25, 1981, it was Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium that hosted this historic match. 

 The venue was newly built and lacked conventional infrastructure — spectators sat on wooden planks and concrete steps; manual scoreboards were updated after every over; and the sight screen was a cloth strung up by local mandap decorators. But the enthusiasm was unparalleled. Between 25,000 and 30,000 people queued through the night for the privilege of witnessing India’s entry into a format that would eventually redefine cricket in the subcontinent.  

''' A Selection Surprise '''

 The selection of Ahmedabad stumped local cricketers. “Initially, we were surprised to learn that Ahmedabad was getting a chance to host such a major international match,” recalls Anil Patel, then a first-class cricketer and now Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) secretary. “Previously, we had Ranji Trophy and Irani Trophy matches at Sardar Patel Stadium.” 
 Mrugesh Jaykrishna, who served as both Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president and GCA leader, was instrumental in the decision. “As BCCI’s VP and a GCA leader, I took part in cricketing decisions, including where matches are allocated. I was very well-placed to influence cricket infrastructure and to push for Gujarat to host international cricket,” the 84-year-old recalls. “GCA saw this as an opportunity to host a marquee match and raise its profile. In short, it was partly infrastructure (Ahmedabad had a decent ground), partly timing (ODIs gaining importance), and partly opportunistic (first ODI in India) that resulted in Ahmedabad getting the edge.”  

''' The Format Nobody Wanted '''

 The very existence of the match represented a compromise. BCCI feared ODIs would diminish Test cricket’s importance. The board, says cricket writer Suresh Menon, was apprehensive that Test cricket might lose relevance. Players, too, considered Tests as the ultimate format. 

 “England’s management insisted on including ODIs in the tour. BCCI was initially reluctant but conceded under pressure, and Ahmedabad was chosen as one of the venues,” Jaykrishna says. Even the match length became a negotiation: “England management proposed a 45-over-perside match, citing ‘short day, cold night,’ but BCCI insisted on 50 overs originally. Ultimately, a consensus was reached, and the match was cut to 46 overs per side.”  

''' Diplomatic Stand-Off '''

 The historic occasion, however, nearly didn’t happen. “A rumour was floated that the tour would be called off,” Menon recalls. “The then Indira Gandhi govt objected to the inclusion of Geoffrey Boycott and Geoff Cook in the England team.” Both had played in South Africa despite the country being banned by the ICC in 1970 because of its apartheid policies.  “Gandhi was in Mexico on a foreign trip, and a decision would be taken after her return. The impasse was resolved less than a week before the team departed, when the two players concerned let it be known they were opposed to apartheid.”  

''' 15 Days To Make History '''

 With the political crisis resolved, Ahmedabad faced an enormous practical challenge. “We had only 15-20 days to prepare the ground,” recalls Jayshree Patdiwala, wife of the late Rajendra Patdiwala, who was stadium in-charge. “The grass was so high that chopping alone took seven to eight days. We used a long sword/ sickle to cut the grass and worked day and night to get the ground ready.” 

 The stadium’s condition reflected the compressed timeline. “At that time, the stadium was not fully constructed,” explains Kalpesh Patdiwala, Rajendra’s son and a former Ranji player. “There were no seats but only steps or benches to sit on. There were wooden planks all around.” 

 Without modern infrastructure, the organisers had to improvise. “The scorecard was manual and kept on the side. Two or three people used to sit on it,” Patel describes. “Placards used to be put on the board to showcase the number of runs scored and the target in the second innings. It used to be changed after every over. BCCI’s official scorer for the match was manually maintaining the scoresheet in a big book.” 
 “The sight screen was made from cloth, with mandap decorators erecting temporary structures to hold it up,” Patel adds. Seating was equally makeshift — wooden benches designed for seven routinely accommodated 10 as spectators squeezed together.

''' Ahmedabad Shows Up '''

 The response from the public was overwhelming. “Fans slept overnight outside the stadium to get tickets,” Kalpesh remembers. “Only local police were there to manage the crowd. There was a mad rush, and the mood was like a festival.” Around 25,000-30,000 spectators packed the stadium, creating an electric atmosphere. “There was no awareness about ODIs as a concept those days, but people just wanted to be part of the spectacle,” Patdiwala notes.  

''' England Prevails '''

 When play began on Nov 25, conditions heavily favoured the bowling side. “In those days, 50-over games used to start at 9am. It was difficult to negotiate for the team batting first because there was dew on the wicket and dampness,” explains Dilip Vengsarkar. “Winning the toss was crucial.” 
 England won that crucial toss and invited India to bat. The start was disastrous: openers Sunil Gavaskar (who captained the side) and Kris Srikkanth were both dismissed for ducks.  “When we lost a couple of wickets, my intention was to see the new ball off and then improvise,” recalls Vengsarkar, who top-scored with 46. “Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough partnerships.” 
 Kirti Azad contributed 30, while Syed Kirmani made 18 and debutant Ravi Shastri 19 as India managed 156/7 in their 46 overs. Ian Botham (2/20) and Derek Underwood (2/18) were the pick of the England bowlers. 

 England’s chase proved comfortable. Mike Gatting’s 47 and Botham’s unbeaten 25, which included two sixes that had the crowd roaring, guided them to a five-wicket victory with 13 balls to spare.  
“Roger Binny bowled brilliantly and Ravi Shastri kept things tight,” Vengsarkar notes, “but Gatting batted well and his match-winning stand with Botham sealed the match for England.”  

''' Fletcher’s Medal '''  

Ahmedabad’s effort in successfully hosting the match earned widespread appreciation. “England won, following which the visiting captain, Keith Fletcher, gave a medal to my father,” Kalpesh reveals. “He said the pitch was very good and they enjoyed playing on it.”  

“We had a function after the match where both teams were invited,” Vengsarkar adds. “It was an amazing crowd — full house. The stadium was brilliant as well, considering the historic occasion.” 
 For participants like Kirti Azad, the occasion left its mark: “I remember scoring runs in that match. It was a very memorable and historic moment.”  

''' Cricket’s First Landing '''

 The choice of Ahmedabad carried historical weight. Gujarat’s cricketing roots run deeper than most realise. It was at Cambay, the port town nearest to Ahmedabad, that India first encountered cricket. An East India Company fleet brought the game in the early 18th century. Lieutenant General Clement Downing, who led the fleet, documented how sailors played the game during a stopover, while locals gathered to watch. His 1737 book, ‘A Compendious History of the Indian Wars’, provides the earliest recorded account of cricket on Indian soil. The region that had connected India to global trade routes through its merchants now connected the nation to what would become its greatest passion. 

 Nearly 250 years later, Ahmedabad was ready to make history again. And it was just the beginning for the city, which went on to host the 2011 World Cup quarter-final, India’s 1,000th ODI in 2022, and the 2023 World Cup final.  

From cloth sight screens to worldclass infrastructure, the transformation took four decades. But what Nov 25, 1981, proved still holds: history doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. Sometimes it just needs a city willing to clear the grass and open the gates.