The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) set a historic milestone during the fourth Test between India and Australia, with over 351,100 spectators attending over five days, breaking the 87-year-old record of 350,534 set during Sir Don Bradman’s era in 1937. This new record marks the highest attendance for any Test match ever held in Australia, according to Cricket Australia.
Day 1 alone drew a record-breaking 87,242 fans, the largest single-day attendance for an Indian Test in Australia, despite heat wave warnings. By Day 3, an unprecedented crowd of 83,073 made it the biggest Day 3 turnout in Boxing Day Test history, bringing the cumulative total to 255,462 by stumps. Day 4 saw 43,867 attendees, raising the overall figure to 299,329 before the final day’s influx.
On Day 5, Yarra Park outside the MCG had to be opened for parking, causing delays due to limited gate access. By the end of the Test, the previous 1937 record, set during a six-day Test between Australia and England, had been surpassed.
MCG’s official account celebrated the achievement, posting on X: “We’ve officially surpassed the attendance record set in 1936/37 when Australia faced England.” Cricket legend Adam Gilchrist also hinted that the final attendance number could increase further.
The match highlighted the undying passion for cricket, with the Boxing Day Test in 2024 now firmly etched in history as a celebration of the sport.
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