No IPL matches in Nagpur

Nagpur might have become a regular centre for hosting international matches but the newly built Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) stadium in Jamtha is not scheduled to host any of the matches of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) in March-April.

"Nagpur was just an option (given to Mumbai Indians franchise)," IPL's CEO Sunder Raman said when his attention was drawn to the absence of any Twenty20 League ties in the Orange City.

As per the schedule announced in August last year by IPL, Mumbai Indians were to play their home matches either at Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium) or Nagpur, and apparently have decided to conduct all their seven home ties in Mumbai only.

In this 2009-10 season itself Nagpur's new VCA stadium has played host to the second India-Australia ODI on October 28, 2009 besides hosting two matches against Sri Lanka -- the 1st T20 International on December 9 and the rescheduled (from Vishakhapatnam) 2nd ODI on December 18.

The Jamtha stadium, rated very highly by the International Cricket Council (ICC), is now all set to host the first Test in the two-match series against the visiting South Africans from February 2-6.

The stadium made its debut as an international centre in November 2008 when the fourth and final Test between India and Australia was held there.