Cricket Australia revealed on Thursday that an unprecedented number of more than 6,000 Indian supporters made the journey to Australia for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series.
The five-match contest, which saw Australia secure a 3-1 victory and regain the trophy after ten years, was intensely fought between the two cricket powerhouses.
“Over 6,000 travelling fans bought tickets from India “in addition to the many who purchased through friends and family” in Australia,” CA said in a statement.
The series, one of cricket’s most intense rivalries, witnessed a six-fold increase in ticket sales from fans in India compared to the previous BGT series hosted by Australia in 2018-19.
According to official figures, a total of 837,879 spectators attended the series, making it the fourth most-attended Test series in Australia and the highest for any non-Ashes series.
CA also revealed that nearly 5% of all ticket-buying fans travelled from overseas to watch the matches.
“In addition to attendance records tumbling at venues across the country, at least eight sessions averaged more than 2 million viewers with 40 sessions averaging more than 1 million viewers, Cricket Australia said.
Cricket fans from India led the overseas ticket purchases, exceeding sales from both UK and USA. Boxing Day Test at the MCG drew significant interest, with Indian spectators securing more than two-thirds of tickets sold for that match alone.
Joel Morrison, Cricket Australia’s executive general manager, events and operations, said: “We are delighted that Australia has become a pre-eminent destination for Indian cricket fans fuelled by the enormous interest in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
“The passion of Indian supporters helped enhance the electric atmosphere at every ground across the summer.
“We’re committed to deepening our relationship with cricket fans all over the world and enhancing the fan experience for both local and travelling fans alike.”
The Indian teams are set to return to Australia next summer, with the men’s team playing three ODIs and five T20Is in October-November 2025, while the women’s squad will compete in a seven-match multi-format series in February-March 2026.
“The increasing number of travelling Indian fans this summer highlights Australian cricket’s increasingly important role in facilitating tourism and trade outcomes for governments and businesses across Australia,” Morrison further said.
In their last high-profile tour, India won the Test series opener in Perth but faced defeats in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney, ultimately relinquishing the trophy after a decade of dominance.