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A historic crowd of 47,566 spectators packed the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Friday, marking the highest-ever opening-day attendance for a Test match between India and Australia at the venue. This milestone came during the much-anticipated fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, underlining the series’ immense popularity in Australia.
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Record-Breaking Numbers at SCG
Cricket Australia celebrated the moment on social media, tweeting:
“The records keep on falling. Over 45,000 through the gates of the Sydney Cricket Ground on Day 1.”
By lunchtime, a staggering 45,465 spectators had already made their way into the SCG, breaking the previous record of 44,901 set during the 2003/04 series. Notably, this was the largest crowd for a Test match at the SCG in nearly 50 years, with the last such turnout recorded in 1976.
This record comes just days after the all-time attendance record at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) was shattered earlier in the series, demonstrating the massive appeal of this marquee clash.
India Struggle as Boland Shines on Day 1
India had a challenging start after opting to bat first, with Australian bowlers dominating the proceedings.
- KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were dismissed early, managing only 4 and 10 runs, respectively.
- Shubman Gill, who looked solid initially, fell to Nathan Lyon just before lunch, leaving India at a precarious position.
Post-lunch, the struggles continued:
- Virat Kohli departed for 17 runs, falling to Scott Boland.
- Efforts by Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja to stabilize the innings were short-lived as they succumbed to Boland and Mitchell Starc.
- Nitish Reddy was dismissed for a duck, adding to India’s woes.
In a surprising cameo, Jasprit Bumrah smashed a few boundaries to push India to a total of 185 runs.
Australian Bowlers Shine
- Scott Boland was the star of the day, finishing with figures of 4/45.
- Mitchell Starc took 3 wickets, while Pat Cummins chipped in with 2.
Australia’s Response
Australia began their innings confidently but faced an early blow when Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Usman Khawaja for just 2 runs. Bumrah’s fiery spell and intense stare at Sam Konstas added drama to the close of play.
Australia ended the day at 9/1 after 3 overs, setting the stage for an intriguing Day 2.
What’s Ahead?
With record-breaking attendance and high-stakes cricket, the SCG is buzzing with energy. Fans will eagerly await whether India can stage a comeback with the ball or if Australia will continue to dominate in their quest to clinch the series.
