Nagpur, the geographical centre of India, is also known as the Orange City.  The city is well-connected by air and rail. Asia’s biggest industrial Estate (Butibori) and biggest SEZ (Mihan) are situated in the city. The city’s old cricket stadium hosted one match each in the 1987 and 1996 World Cups. The 1987 game was notable with Chetan Sharma bowling Kiwis Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith and Ewen Chatfield off consecutive deliveries to register the first hat-trick in World Cup history. With India needing 222 to win, openers Sunil Gavaskar and K. Srikkanth took the attack to the bowlers, having realised that they had to achieve the target in 42.3 overs to top their group. Gavaskar scored an unbeaten 103, his only ODI hundred.

The old ground also staged a league encounter of the 1996 World Cup between Australia and Zimbabwe. Australia won by eight wickets.  

 The new stadium, located in Jamtha, has been constructed on twenty-two acres of land. It is equipped with world-class facilities in the form of spacious dressing-rooms, a huge media box, forty hospitality boxes, VIP & VVIP Boxes and a members’ stand, all air-conditioned.

The new ground made its international debut during the 2008-09 Test series against Australia. It has since hosted one more Test, two day-night ODIs, and one T20 International. India’s fortunes at the arena have been mixed with a 50-50 record in the Tests and ODIs, and a defeat in the solitary T20 International played here. The venue also hosted some of the Deccan Chargers’ home games during the 2010 edition of the IPL.