ACA-VDCA Stadium Sections in Visakhapatnam to be Named After Iconic Indian Women Cricketers

The two sections of the ACA-VDCA Stadium are soon to be christened the Mithali Raj Stand and the Ravi Kalpana Stand, and will be inaugurated on 12 October 2025, just before India’s Women’s World Cup clash against Australia.

As a journalist who has spent years chronicling cricket’s highs and lows, this news thrilled me because the stadium had long needed visible reminders of our women pioneers. Besides, the move, instigated by an emotional plea by Smriti Mandhana in a Breaking Boundaries fireside chat in August 2025, will make the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) name these parts after legendary cricketers Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana.

How Mandhana’s Appeal Changed the ACA-VDCA Stadium

I still remember that August evening when Smriti Mandhana, in conversation with Andhra minister Nara Lokesh, lamented the absence of stands named after women cricketers. That conversation lit the fuse for change.

Mandhana reasoned that this would not only be a homage to the pioneers of the game, but this would also give girls ambitions to play on a world scale. Lokesh, sensing the public’s mood, promised swift action, and he delivered.

Within weeks the ACA announced that the stadium would dedicate two stands to Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana. The inauguration is timed perfectly — on 12 October 2025, moments before India faces Australia in the ICC Women’s World Cup, the new stands will be unveiled.

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It is not merely ceremonial; it’s a loud statement on gender parity in sport. Lokesh himself noted that Mandhana’s suggestion “captured public sentiment” and reflects a commitment to recognising the pioneers of women’s cricket.

🚨 STAND NAME FOR MITHALI RAJ AT VIZAG 🚨

– ACA has announced that stands to be named after Mithali Raj at ACA VDCA stadium in Visakhapatnam. (Cricbuzz). pic.twitter.com/Hc3DQtlsTe

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) October 6, 2025

I envision the ACA-VDCA Stadium with fans swelling and I look at the Mithali Raj Stand and the Ravi Kalpana Stand having beacons and these towers are symbolic of the long journey our women cricketers have made. It is more meaningful to remember the journeys of the players.

Mithali Raj is India’s highest run-scorer, amassing 7,805 ODI runs at an average of 50.68 with seven centuries and 64 fifties. Ravi Kalpana (full name Ravi Venkateswarlu Kalpana) is a wicket-keeper from Andhra who played seven ODIs for India.

Though her international numbers, four runs and five dismissals, are modest, her rise from the state system to the national team resonates strongly with local girls. That contrast, one legend of world cricket and one local hero, perfectly encapsulates the breadth of the women’s game.

Why Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana deserve this honour?

As I pore over the statistics, the choice of names seems almost poetic. Mithali Raj debuted in 1999 and, over 23 years, became the face of Indian women’s cricket.

She is the only woman to surpass 7,000 ODI runs and holds records for most half-centuries in WODIs. In 232 ODIs she averaged 50.68 and struck seven centuries. Beyond numbers, she led India to two World Cup finals (2005 and 2017) and received honours like the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri.

Whenever I watched her bat, she possessed a serenity akin to a sculptor chiselling marble, each stroke precise, each innings a masterpiece. Ravi Kalpana offers a different but equally compelling narrative.

Born in Krishna district in 1996, she grew up juggling studies and cricket. Moreover, selected for India’s ODI squad in 2015, she kept wickets in seven matches. Not only that, her statistics, four runs and five dismissal, do not make the complete story. Likewise, Kalpana’s journey from Andhra’s domestic circuit to the national side inspired countless girls in the state.

In a cricket culture that often glorifies stars, honouring a grassroots player sends a powerful message: every role matters.

Career snapshot of Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana

Beyond numbers, this naming exercise is about representation. Moreover, I’ve attended countless matches at the ACA-VDCA Stadium, and for years the stands have celebrated male heroes.

Moreover, it is like a new morning is dawning on a vast silent sea when you see Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana being honoured there. Likewise, it tells young girls that their dreams are not just possible but visible, etched into the very architecture of the ground.

Wider Impact: Symbolism And Inspiration

The symbolic significance of naming the elements of ACA-VDCA Stadium after women cannot be overestimated. Sport lives on stories and this performance is a story in which the role of women is literally incorporated into the stadium.

The Andhra Cricket Association states that the tribute is part of its desire to celebrate pioneers who transformed the role of women in the sport and an attempt to inspire the future generation. Moreover, in a country where stadiums often bear names of politicians and male legends, dedicating stands to a women’s captain and a local wicket-keeper sends a message as clear as a cover-drive: women’s cricket matters.

Moreover, the high-profile India vs Australia Women world cup match is also during the time of the inauguration and this will ensure that the match is well seen. Fans tuning in will hear the announcer say, “Welcome to the Mithali Raj Stand and the Ravi Kalpana Stand,” embedding those names in public consciousness.

Like a ripple that becomes a wave, this act may encourage other stadiums to honour women athletes, from hockey fields to track arenas.

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FAQs

1. When will the Mithali Raj Stand and Ravi Kalpana Stand at the ACA-VDCA Stadium be inaugurated?
   They will be unveiled on 12 October 2025, just before India’s Women’s World Cup match against Australia.
2. Why are parts of the ACA-VDCA Stadium being named after Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana?
   The move came after Smriti Mandhana urged officials to honour women cricketers during the Breaking Boundaries event in August 2025.
3. What are Mithali Raj’s major achievements?
   She is India’s highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs with 7,805 runs at an average of 50.68, and she captained India in World Cup finals in 2005 and 2017.
4. Who is Ravi Kalpana and why is she significant?
   Ravi Venkateswarlu Kalpana is a Andhra Pradesh wicket-keeper who played seven ODs in India and influenced the lives of many young cricketers.