Josh Hazlewood’s Shocking Ranking: Why CSK’s Home Ground is the Worst in India
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A Surprising Take on Indian Soil: Josh Hazlewood’s Stadium Rankings
In the high-octane world of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the venue often dictates the strategy. From the spin-friendly dust bowls of the south to the high-scoring highways of the west, every stadium has its own personality. Recently, Josh Hazlewood, the seasoned Australian pacer currently spearheading the attack for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), shared his personal take on these venues through a blind ranking exercise. The results? They were nothing short of shocking for cricket fans.
Hazlewood has been a vital asset for RCB, especially after making a strong comeback in the latest edition of the IPL. Having missed the initial stages of the tournament due to an injury, the Australian has slowly regained his supreme form, proving once again why he is considered one of the most disciplined exponents of line and length in the world. Now playing a pivotal role as RCB’s lead pacer in both the powerplay and the death overs, Hazlewood’s perspective on Indian grounds carries significant weight.
The Shocking Bottom Spot: MA Chidambaram Stadium
Perhaps the most controversial part of Hazlewood’s list was his ranking of the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Known globally as ‘Chepauk’ and serving as the fortress for MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK), this venue is traditionally viewed as a bowling paradise—albeit primarily for spinners. The slow, gripping surface usually makes it a nightmare for batters and a dream for those who can turn the ball.
Despite having played for CSK in the past before his move to RCB, Hazlewood placed the Chennai venue at the bottommost position of his list. For a pacer who relies on precision, the sluggish nature of the Chepauk track clearly didn’t sit well with him, leading him to label it the worst venue in India during his blind ranking.
The ‘Batting Paradises’ That Hazlewood Loves
What makes Hazlewood’s rankings even more intriguing is his preference for grounds that are notoriously difficult for bowlers. While most pacers dread venues where the ball flies off the bat, Hazlewood listed the following as his top three favorite grounds in India:
- M. Chinnaswamy Stadium: The home of RCB and one of the highest six-hitting arenas in the country.
- Narendra Modi Stadium: A massive venue where defending scores over 200 is often a Herculean task.
- Wankhede Stadium: Known as one of the highest-scoring grounds in the nation due to its fast outfield and short boundaries.
It is a fascinating irony that a bowler of Hazlewood’s caliber prefers these high-scoring venues over traditional pace-friendly tracks. In particular, his love for the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is backed by his own performance; despite the ground being a batter’s dream, Hazlewood has maintained a promising record there, picking up crucial wickets and adapting well to the unique bounce of the Deccan soil.
The Paradox of the Arun Jaitley Stadium
The blind ranking also revealed some contradictions based on recent form. Hazlewood recently had a stellar outing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where he ripped through the Delhi Capitals’ lineup to claim four wickets in a single game. However, when it came to the ranking, the Delhi venue landed way down in the ninth spot.
This suggests that for Hazlewood, the overall experience and feel of a stadium outweigh a single match’s success. The Arun Jaitley Stadium is historically not known for aiding fast bowlers, and it seems Hazlewood’s ranking reflects that long-term perception rather than his recent individual brilliance.
Ignoring the Pace-Friendly Classics
Perhaps the most surprising omission from the top of his list were the venues typically lauded by fast bowlers. Tracks like Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, and the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala—all of which can offer significant carry and swing—were named much later in his list.
Whether it is the atmosphere, the crowd, or a personal quirk of his bowling style, Josh Hazlewood’s preferences flip the script on what we expect from a world-class fast bowler. While the CSK fans might be heartbroken to see Chepauk at the bottom, the RCB faithful can take pride in knowing their pacer is fully in love with the Chinnaswamy!
