A new attendance record for a Test match in Australia has been set, with over 350,700 fans passing through the gates at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the five days of the fourth Test between Australia and India. This figure surpasses the previous record of 350,534, which had stood since 1937 when Sir Donald Bradman’s Australia faced England at the same venue over six days.
Cricket Australia announced on Monday that 51,371 spectators had already entered the stadium by the first session of day five, with more expected throughout the afternoon. Remarkably, the final day’s turnout exceeded that of day four, an unusual occurrence for Test matches.
The daily attendance figures were extraordinary, with 87,242 on day one, followed by 85,147, 83,073, 43,867, and at least 51,371 on day five. The Melbourne Cricket Club, which manages the MCG, underestimated the day-five crowd, leading to logistical challenges. Yarra Park was opened for public parking, a rare move, but only one gate was accessible, causing traffic bottlenecks and delays for many fans.
This record-breaking attendance follows other significant crowds drawn by India at the MCG, such as the 90,293 spectators for the India-Pakistan match and 82,507 for India-Zimbabwe during the 2022 T20 World Cup.
