Cricket history was made at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as an unprecedented crowd shattered Australian Test attendance records during the final day of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India.
Victoria’s Premier, Jacinta Allan, celebrated the achievement, tweeting: “We’ve just broken the record for biggest Test cricket crowd in Australian sporting history. This is the biggest crowd since 1937 – when Don Bradman was captain. Shoutout to all the Aussie and India fans who made it happen.”
By lunch on Day 5, 51,371 fans had already poured through the gates, pushing the total attendance to a record-breaking 350,700. This surpassed the previous mark of 350,534 set during the 1937 Ashes, when Sir Donald Bradman led Australia in a six-day Test.
The crowd frenzy led to Cricket Australia reopening the Ponsford Stand and Level 4, originally planned to remain closed, as fans seized $10 adult tickets and free entry for kids. The surge prompted the MCG to scramble for additional security and refreshments to accommodate the growing numbers.
The final day also saw a carnival atmosphere, driven by a large Indian contingent and heightened series tensions. A dramatic debut by Sam Konstas and the festive season added to the appeal, with attendance estimations climbing to 75,000 by the day’s end.
The record-breaking crowd is the latest in a string of milestones during this five-match series. Earlier, Optus Stadium in Perth set attendance benchmarks for The West Test, and the opening day of the Boxing Day Test delivered Channel 7 its highest-ever viewership for a Test match.
Daily attendance figures for the MCG Test were equally astonishing, with crowds of 87,242, 85,147, 83,073, 43,867, and 51,371 turning out across the five days. Saturday’s attendance of 83,073 set a day-three Boxing Day Test record, eclipsing the 1937 Ashes figures.
The Boxing Day Test has also broken the previous Australia-India series record of 194,481 set in 2014. With cooler weather and the festive mood drawing fans in droves, the MCG has cemented its place in cricket folklore, proving the enduring allure of Test cricket in Australia.
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