India Vs Australia 1st Test: VCA Stadium Nagpur Pitch Report, Weather Forecast, Stats and Record

VCA Stadium in Nagpur all set to host India vs Australia 1st Test

Team India and Australia will lock horns in first of the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Nagpur, starting on Thursday (February 9).

Rohit Sharma-led India will clash with Pat Cummins' Australia with a place in the World Test Championship final, where they could face their rivals from down under, up for grabs.

India is heading into the series on the back of a 2-0 away series white-wash over Bangladesh, while Australia defeated South Africa 2-0 in a three-match home series in their last Test outing.

The home side will see the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin return to the team against the in-form visitors who carry a few injury doubts heading into the series opener in Nagpur.

India and Australia have met at the venue once in 2008, when spinner Jason Krejca made a dream debut, but his best figures of 8 for 215 could not avoid a huge defeat for the Aussies.

The last Test played at this venue was way back in 2017, when Ravichandran Ashwin ran through the Sri Lankan batters, ending with figures of 8 for 130 in the match.

Here is a look at the VCA Stadium Stats, Record, Pitch Report and Nagpur Weather Forecast ahead of India vs Australia 1st Test:

VCA Stadium Info, Pitch Report and Weather Forecast

Founded: 2008 to replace VCA Ground (Hosted 9 Tests)

Seating Capacity: 45,000

Ends: Pavillion End and Secretary End

Number of international matches hosted: 6 Tests, 9 ODIs and 13 T20Is

VCA Stadium Pitch Report

The pitches at the VCA Stadium has assisted quicker bowlers, but has mainly helped the spinners like most wickets in the country. While batters have found run-scoring a little easy early in the match, the scorching heat has come into play helping the tweakers show their dominance in the longest format at the venue. But, it has been a while since the last Test at the venue.

Nagpur Weather Forecast

The weather forecast from Thursday (February 9) to Monday (February 13) indicates warm conditions throughout the playing days with max temperature of 34^o C which feels like 36^o C. There is no threat of rain on any of the match days or in the lead up to the match. So, weather will not play spoilsport in the Test series opener.

VCA Stadium Test Stats and Record

Matches: 6

India Won: 4

Visiting Team Won: 1

Match Drawn: 1

Matches Won Batting 1st: 3

Matches Won Batting 2nd: 2

Highest Team Total: 610/6 by India vs Sri Lanka in 2017

Lowest Team Total: 79 All Out by South Africa vs India in 2015

Average 1st Innings Score: 324

Average 2nd Innings Score: 362

Average 3rd Innings Score: 247

Average 4th Innings Score: 197

Highest Individual Score: Hashim Amla (South Africa) - 253 not out vs India in 2010

Best Bowling Innings: Jason Krejza (Australia) - 8 for 215 vs India in 2008

Best Bowling Match: R Ashwin (India) - 12 for 98 vs South Africa in 2015

Most Runs: Virender Sehwag (India) - 357 runs in 6 innings

Total Fifties: 24

Most Fifties: MS Dhoni (India) - 4

Most Hundreds: Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar (India) - 2

Total Hundreds: 14 (Virat Kohli & Sachin Tendulkar x 2, Virender Sehwag, Hashim Amla, Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Jonathan Trott, Simon Katich and Ian Bell)

Total Double Hundreds: 2 (Virat Kohli and Hashim Amla)

Total 150 plus scores: 4 (Virat Kohli, Hashim Amla, Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis)

Most Wickets: R Ashwin (India) - 23 wickets in 3 matches

Most 10 Wicket Matches: R Ashwin (India), Jason Krejza (Australia) & Dale Steyn (South Africa) - 1

Most 5 Wicket Innings: R Ashwin (India) - 2

Total Sixes: 35

Total Fours: 563

Most Sixes: Virender Sehwag (India) - 3 sixes

Most Fours: Virender Sehwag (India) - 50 fours