Test matches come, Test matches go, but what truly goes on behind the scenes when hosting one? Sarah Waris finds out.
Three days before New Delhi was to host its first Test match in 20 months, the weather shifted almost overnight. Like the flick of a switch, the harsh sun and sticky afternoons that had marked the city’s days for months suddenly gave way to a pleasant nip in the air, making it, for once, a joy to step outdoors.
The Arun Jaitley Stadium, still affectionately known by most as Feroz Shah Kotla, had originally been slated to host the Test against South Africa from November 14, three weeks after Diwali, when Delhi’s air is at its most unforgiving and the AQI soars to hazardous levels. After much back-and-forth, the fixture was rescheduled: the city would now welcome the West Indies instead before the festival. While the fixture admittedly lacked the allure of watching the World Test Championship winners in action, Test matches have become increasingly rare, with matches now being distributed across a growing number of venues across India. And, so, no matter the opposition, you’d be seated.
But, not yet. As you scurried towards the ground on Friday morning, having successfully reversed your sleep schedule that would otherwise see you in bed around 4 am, “Madam bag allowed nahi hai [Madam, no bags allowed]” put a pause to the rush. “But I’m from the media, I have to carry my laptop”, while trying to flash the neon-blue strings of the BCCI accreditation card in front of the police officers. In vain. What followed was an earnest call to Praveen Kumar Soni, a former cricketer and the venue manager of the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association, who requested me to take a longer route in. “The police have their own guidelines; despite briefing them, they rarely relent.”
Mine’s not the only call he’s received since arriving at the ground at 6 am. Even though the preparations for a Test match start well in advance, the first day is still challenging. “I come early, when the broadcast crew arrives, so I ensure they have a smooth entry into the stadium,” he tells Wisden.com. The first day of any match, he says, is often the most testing. Every system, from broadcast to power, must be ready to run seamlessly. They have already received the ‘Mickey report’, a detailed checklist of broadcast requirements, well before the match. Broadcasters generally begin setting up their cameras about three days in advance, and the morning of the first day is spent checking them across different parts of the ground, from the far end and midwicket to the High 42, alongside the broadcast team, ensuring that everything is in order.
“On match days, we also have to ensure the commentators arrive on time and have a smooth entry, since traffic could delay them,” Soni explains. “We have a list of all the crew members and will check their arrival, ensuring everything is good to go before the toss. I don’t have to worry about the players because they have their own team and unit; it’s the broadcast, because millions will be watching. We have to ensure the generators, satellite rooms, ACs, and WiFi are all working. If even one system fails, mayhem follows in seconds.”
Months of meticulous planning ensure that such chaos never arises. Long before the first ball is bowled, security drills, catering arrangements, broadcast mock runs, and pitch preparations unfold quietly in the background. These efforts are led by a small group of people who rarely make the headlines. While the official schedule for India’s 2025/26 home season was released in April, the respective state associations, where matches will be held, were informed earlier to help them plan. “We know well in advance, maybe two months in advance. This is so we can schedule the local T20 leagues accordingly, because, as per the BCCI guidelines, no games can take place for at least a month before a Test match,” he says.
Once the fixtures are finalised, the formal preparations swing into action. The Apex Council convenes to lay out the foundational plan, after which multiple committees are established to manage specific areas, including organisation, reception, and stadium security, which function independently of the Delhi Police. With 120 full-time staff on hand, the DDCA assigns them responsibilities across these committees, ensuring seamless coordination.
He elaborates that a detailed list of required services is then drawn up, after which tenders are invited for various departments like catering, food vendors, tenting, CCTV, generators, cameras, and announcement systems. “The tenders are uploaded on the DDCA website, and all are welcome to apply. Some negotiations also take place, but everything is done very transparently. Before any of the actual setup begins, the association must also secure approvals from the fire department, the police, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and the licensing authorities. With the capital being a hub for VIP movement, every day of the Test must be cleared from their side well in advance.
Across these departments, nearly 1,500 people, from police and medical personnel to vendors, ground staff, and technical teams, work in tandem on match days to keep the game running seamlessly.
Looking after the pitch, of course, remains of utmost importance. “There’s hardly an off-season in the year, where the pitches get some rest,” says Soni. “Only between December 1 and January 30 does the BCCI state that we cannot host any matches due to the cold weather. We have a total of nine pitches at Delhi, and our curator, Ankit Gupta, who has been here for 15 years, has a month to prepare for the Test wicket. This also has to be done in accordance with the BCCI guidelines.”
While the cost provided by the BCCI to a state association to host a Test match was not disclosed by Soni, he says that the DDCA doesn’t look to curtail the expenses and instead prioritises providing the best possible experience for fans. The tickets for the West Indies Test match began from INR 350, a price set by state associations based on the quality of opposition, demand, and viewing areas. “We want to give the very best to the fans. Kotla has been the first stadium to provide free, but most importantly, hygienic water to the fans. The bathrooms for the public have to be checked and cleaned regularly. We even have changing and feeding rooms for small babies, so everyone can have a good time.”
The only real drawback for anyone visiting the Kotla remains the 74 pillars scattered across the seating sections. If you happen to be seated behind one of them, as I was during the England-Afghanistan clash at the 2023 World Cup, you’ll find yourself craning your neck and shifting constantly to catch glimpses of the action during some of the most memorable moments.
Attendance for Test matches, however, tends to fluctuate. On the second day of the recent fixture, around 15,700 spectators were present, but by the fourth day, the number had dropped to roughly 4,500. The smaller crowds allow fans to move freely between sections in search of better views, a luxury unimaginable during the IPL or white-ball internationals, which are almost always sold out. With attendance varying drastically across the Test match days, the scale of on-ground arrangements changes too.
“The police department decides how many security personnel will be on the ground during a game on a particular day. This depends on the tickets that have been purchased, the teams that are playing and the number of big names in the Indian team.” The security presence for the West Indies Test was relatively minimal, but when Virat Kohli returned to play a Ranji Trophy game at the start of the year, the situation was markedly different: paramilitary forces, rifles in hand, had to be deployed right across the boundary ropes after several fans breached the initial, lighter security to touch his feet. It’s assessed on a case-by-case basis.
How a Test match was hosted, and how it has changed over the years
This time, it wasn’t just cricket that dominated conversations in the press box and on social media, but also the food. From local favourites like samosas, kachoris and chole-kulche to all-time favourites such as biryani and chicken tikka kebabs, the menu left few complaints, except, perhaps, the post-lunch drowsiness that had many reaching for several cups of coffee to stay awake. If broadcasting is about what millions see, catering is about what sustains those who make it possible, another unseen yet crucial cog in the match-day machine.
“We receive detailed guidelines from the visiting team regarding food quality and dietary preferences well in advance,” says Soni. “Sometimes, we even source the food directly from their hotel. For instance, the West Indies team sent us a wishlist of dishes they wanted, and we prepared the menu accordingly.” These requests can range from their traditional favourites to toned-down versions of local delicacies, often made using recipes and ingredients shared by the team themselves.
This wasn’t the case even a decade ago, when teams were far less particular about what they ate. But as professionalism deepened, so did their dietary discipline. And it’s not the only shift Soni has observed over his three decades at the stadium. “Security protocols have become more rigorous. I remember when Sunil Gavaskar scored his 29th Test hundred here to equal Don Bradman, the crowd ran up to him from the stands to congratulate him,” he recalls. “There’s more organisation now, with anti-corruption units, segregated PMO [Player and Match Officials] areas, and strict access zones for media and broadcasters. It’s definitely getting tougher, but it’s all part of how the game and its ecosystem have evolved.”
The biggest transformation, though, has come in how the sport is shown to the world. “I first started working here in 1996, during the World Cup. Back then, the broadcasters arrived just a day before the match, and there were no heavy equipment setups. Katherine Simpson, who was the production manager for that World Cup, came a day before the game, and I remember being surprised that they managed to complete everything by 4 pm, ready to go on air. At that time, there were fewer cameras, and production wasn’t on such a large scale.
“Today, the scene is vastly different. Broadcasting has expanded enormously. We now have two control rooms, one for the world feed and another for JioHotstar. We need to create separate storage areas and satellite rooms for them. The number of cameras has increased, and with every series, we discover new requirements to accommodate. Stadiums like in Ahmedabad have massive, well-equipped facilities, and we’ve realised the need to match those standards. We’ve reported to the Press Council to give us more space,” he explains.
However, for older venues like the 142-year-old Kotla, situated in the heart of Delhi near Raj Ghat, finding additional space is far more challenging. In contrast, newer stadiums such as Ahmedabad’s, located on the city’s outskirts, have the advantage of more room, allowing large-scale upgrades and modern facilities to be added with relative ease.
Soni ends our conversation with a laugh, admitting that his biggest challenge often comes not from logistics or broadcast demands, but from the endless stream of VIPs in Delhi requesting tickets. Almost on cue, I ask him for tickets for Lionel Messi’s upcoming visit to the Kotla on December 15, the first time the historic venue will host a football match. “I’ve already started receiving calls,” he chuckles. “Everyone wants one!”
For Soni, it hardly matters whether it’s cricket or football, Tests or T20s. The goal remains the same: to ensure that, from the quiet hum of the generators to the cheers echoing through the old stands, the Kotla runs like clockwork. Because long before the first ball is bowled, the match has already begun for those who make it possible.
And almost as soon as the last delivery is sent down, the teardown begins, with cables rolled, chairs stacked, and sponsorship banners dismantled as two months of work quietly wind to a close. There’s little time to pause, though. In just ten days, the Kotla will host a Ranji Trophy match, one with a completely different set of demands. For the venue staff, the game never truly ends; its format simply changes.
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