All-time record in Melbourne: India vs Australia Boxing Day Test sets new record for crowd attendance at the MCG | Cricket News

The Boxing Day Test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground entered the hory books on Monday, the fifth and final day of the match. This Test now holds the all-time record for attendance figures at the MCG, crossing the previous record of 350,534 set back in 1936-’37. During the first session, as per Fox Cricket, the attendance figures over the five days of this match stood at 350, 700. As per Cricket Australia, this is now also the greatest attendance for any Test match played in Australia.
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“We’ve officially surpassed the attendance record set in 1936/37 when Australia faced England — a Test which spanned six days,” MCG’s X account posted towards the end of the first session on Monday morning. Adam Gilchr on Fox Sports commentary noted that the final number could still increase.
India were however in a spot of bother at lunch on Day 5. Set a record of 340, India were reduced to 33/3 in 26.1 overs, staring at a defeat and going behind 1-2 in the series before the final Test in Sydney at the turn of the new year.
The attendance of 43,867 on Day 4 brought the total to 299,329, making it the largest Boxing Day Test crowd in hory.
The opening day, Boxing Day of course, was expected to witness record-breaking numbers and the final Day 1 attendance figure stood at 87,242 despite severe heat forecast during the day. That was a record for one day of Test cricket v India in Australia.
Day 3 witnessed another record, with a final attendance of 83,073. That was the largest Day 3 crowd ever for a Boxing Day Test.
It was also the largest Day 3 crowd for an MCG Test since January 1937, when it was recorded at 87,798, with Sir Don Bradman 56* at stumps. That brought the total attendance to 255,462.
Joel Morrisson, CA EGM Events and Operations said:
“We’ve been blown away the support of fans across the Boxing Day Test.
“Our partnership with the MCC and Victorian Government is a special one, and it’s been a great team effort to achieve this result.
“The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a blockbuster event, and it has been fantastic to see such strong attendances right across the summer.
“A big thank you to Australian cricket fans for your ongoing support of our great game.
“This demonstrates the power of cricket to bring communities together.”

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