Vadodara, once the powerhouse of Indian cricket, where the mere mention of “Baroda Cricket” conjured visions of Vijay Hazare’s majestic cover drives slicing through the field like a surgeon’s blade, Jivan Naidu and Krishna’s lethal yorkers uprooting stumps with venomous precision, Chandrakant Pandit’s masterclass stroke-play painting the canvas of the outfield, and in modern times, the explosive all-round wizardry of Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, and Deepak Hooda blasting balls into orbit. Those were the glory days, folks – a Test match innings of sheer dominance.
But from 2010 onwards, Baroda cricket hit a prolonged duck out. No international pitches to call home, BCCI grants dried up like a parched wicket in summer, compliance glitches turning the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) scoreboard into a sorry zero. Cricket-crazy Barodians were left chasing trains to Mumbai, Ahmedabad, or Delhi just to catch a big match – talk about being bowled out without facing a ball!
Then came September 2019, and bam! A new innings kicked off with the opener smashing a boundary off the very first delivery. Pranav Amin, captaining the Revival Group, grabbed the BCA reins and immediately built a rock-solid batting lineup. They clinched a thriller of an election win by 736-642, flipping the match in the powerplay itself. Backed by the seasoned dressing-room wisdom of former Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More – a man even the USA turned to for cricketing smarts – and an unyielding commitment to gift Vadodara its own stadium, every team member poured passion into every over, raining boundaries like a T20 blitz.
Facing them was a deadly bowling attack: COVID-19’s rain-interrupted overs and full lockdowns, a financially cracked and bone-dry pitch, and bureaucracy’s express bouncers zipping over the head. But the Revival Group toiled day and night, never once ducking or weaving – no wobbles, no collapses.
And then, the innings’ monster sixer cleared the ropes: Kotambi Stadium! Starting from zero, this knock accelerated like a helicopter shot. A sprawling 29-acre masterpiece, impeccably designed and grand as they come. 35,000 roaring seats, world-class floodlights turning night into day, a lightning-fast outfield, modern pavilions, and premium fan perks that make you feel like a VIP in the dugout. COVID halted the nation’s game dead in its tracks, but this squad bowled no no-balls, no wides, and sure as hell didn’t retire hurt. Stadium ready on time – in just under four years of relentless, gritty batting!
Today, Kotambi bats firmly in India’s top-order venues: the cleanest, most impressive, fan-friendliest, and fastest-rising stadium in the country. No more second fiddle – it’s smashing records left and right.
Scorecard check: An explosive innings so far, with over 25 matches hosted. First-class cricket’s run-fest kicked off in January 2024. India Women vs West Indies ODIs – three crackers in December 2024, Vadodara’s first taste of international flavor. WPL 2025 brought six high-voltage T20 showdowns. India Men vs New Zealand ODI in January 2026 – the Blue Boys’ grand return to Vadodara after 15 years. And WPL 2026? Blockbusters galore, capped by the grand final on February 5, 2026 – the city’s biggest cricket bash ever!
Where Barodians once queued at Mumbai’s gates for tickets, now fans from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and across India swarm Kotambi with frenzy. Tickets vanish in minutes – sold out faster than a yorker dismissal. But hey, the Royal Satyamev Jayate crew still finds faults in this masterstroke. Sour grapes, anyone?
The Revival Group didn’t just prep the pitch; they fortified players’ futures too: Pensions even for single Ranji Trophy match veterans (that’s a long-breath sixer!). Extra match fees beyond BCCI payouts (bonus runs!). Memorable honors for legends like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (standing ovation centuries!). A explosion of domestic tournaments, live streaming, and grassroots programs gifted straight to Vadodara’s fans.
And to those Royal Satyamev bouncers screaming “zero transparency”? Swing and a miss! Even Royal Satyamev Jayate backed Presidential Candidate and Cardiologist Dr. Darshan Banker and his squad knows along with majority of Barodians that in 2019, Ajit Lele was elected from the Royal group and aced it as secretary. He was one of theirs, but this time he backed Revival. For those clueless about Ajit Lele: His life’s been lived on the ground, son of cricketing giant J.Y. Lele – a legend and a gentleman. Under his guidance, Vadodara birthed a team for differently-abled players, igniting passion in countless lives like a cricketing firework. Would the heir to such a legacy tolerate transparency lapses?
The thousands cheering at Kotambi, the sixer showers, the packed stands – they’re the silent witnesses, ready to testify against these so-called transparency jabs if needed. Building fancy towers versus erecting an international cricket coliseum? Sky and earth apart – like the gulf between T20 fireworks and Test match grind.
Today at Kotambi, sixers are exploding in a thunderous downpour. Every Barodian’s face beams with a double-century of pride. Darkness dismissed, floodlights blazing. Dependency out – self-reliance not out!
While Ahmedabad preps its Olympic Village, in cricket’s world, Vadodara puffs its chest like a 56-inch powerhouse. Credit to all BCA members, sure, but like a captain’s pivotal knock, Pranav Amin deserves the lion’s share. Ajit Lele as vice-captain, and Kiran More’s guiding hand – a name India reveres, and even powerhouse America needed for their cricket squad.
This ain’t some paid puff piece – it’s cold, hard facts. Can’t #BARODIANS see Kotambi for themselves? Today, as millennials and Gen Z pack the stands in team tees for the WPL final – RCB vs DC – Kotambi will echo with their roars, turning the stadium into a pulsating fortress of cricketing joy. Game on, Baroda – you’ve smashed it out of the park!