The orange city of Nagpur is the birthplace of India's first Test captain CK Nayudu and there is a road named after him just outside the Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium.
Tragedy enveloped the ground on November 26, 1995 when nine spectators were killed and 70 others injured after a stand collapsed during a one-dayer between India and New Zealand.
After its inaugural Test, Nagpur had to wait 14 years to host another.
Drama surrounded the beginning of the match as Sandeep Patil, a late selection to the eleven, was stranded in Bombay and had to be ferried by a specially chartered government plane.
Although he landed only late in the afternoon, rain had fortunately lopped off most of the playing time.
The wicket has traditionally been flat as a billiard table.
Sachin Tendulkar's 179 against the West Indies remains the highest knock on this ground.