JAIPUR: When Barkatullah Khan Stadium in Jodhpur would reopen, the refurbished arena will be a different place. Of all the new features that will give it a majestic look and feel, one that stands out is pitches made of both the red clay and black soil. There will be 10 wickets, five in the practice area, and five in the centre of the ground out of which two are being readied in red clay while three in black soil. So far, only Indore, Baroda, Lucknow and Motera stadiums offer two different styles of turf.
The red soil being used has been brought from Mumbai and it is expected that the pitches will be ready by mid-October.
The renovation work is underway and Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) president Vaibhav Gehlot, who has been at the forefront of all the effort to bring the stadium back to life, is confident of holding a few matches during the upcoming domestic season that begins on September 12. "The work is going on in full swing and I will try my best to start the activity here as soon as possible by getting domestic matches initially and later the IPL," the RCA president told TOI.
"I frequently visit the site of the new stadium in Jaipur as well as Barkatullah Khan Stadium. I am really glad that during my tenure I will be able to give to the cricket lovers and the cricketers world-class facilities to enjoy the most popular sport in the country and in Rajasthan," he added.
