Sydney Cricket Ground Shatters Attendance Records with 47,566 Spectators on Day 1 of India-Australia Test

The attendance on the first day of the fifth Test between India and Australia set a record for the highest ever recorded Day 1 Test attendance between the two countries. 47,566 fans attended the SCG to witness the great game. This fantastic turnout marked a first in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series where it also recorded a new mark for SCG, beating an almost 50-year-old record.

The crowd had just witnessed an enthralling India match against Australia on this highly important match. This January 3, 2025, also brought a new record attendance for opening day at SCG as Test, which the ground hadn't seen since it hosted the epic series between Australia and India from 2003/04 seasons. This was a huge achievement after another attendance record was broken in the same series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where the all-time attendance record was shattered earlier.

By lunch on Day 1, 45,465 spectators had already filled up the SCG. Over two decades ago, when the 2003/04 series played, this is the high of 44,901 that was seen. This marked the beginning of an interesting day in the office for cricket fans as more and more spectators began pouring in, eventually bringing in an all-time high.

The crowd attendance on January 3 also is the biggest Test match crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground in nearly five decades. Cricket Australia quickly celebrated the milestone, proudly sharing the news on social media. "The records keep on falling.". It had seen over 45,000 crossing the gates of Sydney Cricket Ground on Day 1, as reflected by a tweet reflecting the massive public interest in the India-Australia Test series. The event is still witnessing the full crowd as a reflection of the depth of passion for the game in Australia, especially in this marquee series between two cricketing giants in the world.

Beyond the records of attendance breaking: For close to half a century such a huge gathering at a Test match was there at the SCG but the last experience of the same was long back in 1976. However it had nothing to do with breaking records, with energies as well as atmospheres that crowds used to fill up for. Fans-both local and from India-gave the evening an electric environment that added that extra layer of excitement to the proceedings.

The attendance at the SCG on Day 1 was fantastic and tells a story about the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by itself-being one of the fiercest series of cricket. A dream team of both India and Australia turned up to play the Test series in front of millions of fans-thrilled at this thought. This quality cricket series seems to be an insatiable appetite because of the huge crowds seen at the SCG and MCG.

The attendance figures are a big thing for Cricket Australia. It is bound to reflect rising interest and following for Test cricket in the country. Interest in the game continues to rise in the long formats. The record attendance at SCG and MCG during the 2025 India-Australia Test series testifies to this fact. Though crowds do turn up for limited-overs cricket, limited-overs cricket is still the most popular format of the game.

The interest for the India-Australia Tests will likely remain in the fray as the series continues. The fans are already waiting for the next parts of the series to come and, given the exceptional performance on Day 1 at the SCG, there is bound to be much more record breaking ahead.

This new attendance record well reflects the growing stature of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a series that has touched new heights in terms of fan engagement. The India-Australia rivalry-one of the most storied in cricket-continues to take the imagination of audiences not only from Australia but across the world. This is sure to create immense pressure on both teams as they battle to win on the field with the progression of the series.