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Australia’s dominant 3-1 win over India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 not only delighted cricket lovers but also set new television viewership records. According to Cricket Australia (CA), the five-match Test series attracted the largest television audience for a Test series since Seven and Fox Sports began broadcasting in 2018.
Unprecedented digital and television engagement
CA reported that more than two million viewers tuned in to at least eight sessions of the series in Australia. Additionally, more than 40 sessions attracted audiences of a million or more. Indian viewers also took a big hit, with JioStar reporting a huge increase in viewership compared to the last time Australia hosted the Border-Gavaskar series.
CA’s digital platforms also saw an increase in engagement. Since November 22, the governing body’s social media channels have racked up more than two billion video views and 168 million interactions, a year-over-year increase of 205% and 150%, respectively. Cricket Australia (CA) gained an impressive two million new followers across its digital channels during the series, marking a huge boost in online engagement.
Nick Hockley, CEO of CA, shared his excitement at the success the series had had. “We knew this would be an extraordinary series, but the size of the crowds, audiences and digital engagement across all CA channels has exceeded our highest expectations,” he said.
ICC releases pitch ratings
The series was not only a success on the screens. Fans flocked to the stadiums, with a total attendance of 837,879 people across the five venues. This made it the fourth highest attended Test series in Australia’s history and the highest attended non-Ashes series.
After the series, the ICC published its ratings for the five venues used in the Tests. Perth’s Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval, Brisbane’s Gabba and Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) all earned ‘Very Good’ ratings for providing excellent playing conditions.
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The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), however, fell short. It received a “Satisfactory” rating due to widespread criticism of the field. Players and commentators raised concerns about how quickly the surface was deteriorating, making it difficult for batsmen and falling below the standards expected for Test matches.
The overwhelming success of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has reignited talks about changing the structure of Test cricket. Reports indicate that Australia, India and England are discussing a two-tier Test format with ICC president Jay Shah. The idea, which was first proposed in 2016, would see top nations play each other more regularly to keep the level of competition high.
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