Adelaide: As many as 36,225 heads dotted the stands at the Adelaide Oval on the first day of the second India-Australia Test here to create a new record for crowd turnout during a five-day game featuring the two sides.
According to data provided by Cricket Australia (CA), the previous record was 35,081 spectators during the 2011-12 series in which India were whitewashed 4-0 by the home team.
A sell-out crowd was predicted at the 53,500-capacity ground on Friday, as India and Australia renewed their rivalry after a long break between the first and second Test.
This is India’s first pink-ball Test in Australia since they were rolled over for 36 at the same venue back in 2020.
Fans also turned up in record numbers at the Optus Stadium in Perth for the first Test, which the visitors won by 295 runs for their biggest victory on Australia soil.
As per CA, the opening two days at the Perth Stadium set records for attendance at any Test match in Perth, with 31,302 (Day 1) and 32,368 (Day 2) going through the gates respectively.
The total attendance for the series-opener of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was 96,463, the second-highest total attendance ever recorded in Perth and the highest at Perth Stadium, CA had stated in its press release.
Big crowds are also expected in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, venues for the remaining games of the five-match series.