Australia's dominant 3-1 win over India in the 2024-25 season Border Trophy-Gavaskar not only did it delight cricket fans – it also set new records for television viewership. According to Cricket Australia (CA), the five-match Test series attracted the biggest TV audience for a Test series since Seven and Fox Sports began broadcasting in 2018.
Unprecedented TV and digital engagement
CA reported that more than two million viewers tuned in for at least eight sessions of the series in Australia. Additionally, over 40 sessions attracted audiences of a million or more. Indian viewers also made a big impact, with JioStar reporting a huge increase in viewership compared to the last time Australia hosted the Border-Gavaskar series.
CA's digital platforms also experienced an increase in engagement. As of November 22, the governing body's social media channels amassed more than two billion video views and 168 million engagements — a year-over-year increase of 205% and 150%, respectively. Cricket Australia (CA) gained two million new followers on its digital channels during the series, marking a huge increase in online engagement.
Nick Hockley, chief executive of CA, shared his enthusiasm at how successful the series had been. “We knew this would be an incredible series, but the size of the crowds, viewing audience and digital engagement across all CA channels has exceeded our highest expectations,” he said.
ICC publishes Pitch Ratings
The series was not only a hit on the screen. Fans flocked to the stadiums in large numbers, with a total attendance of 837,879 people across the five countries. This made it the fourth most watched Test series in Australian history and the most watched non-Ashes series.
After the series, the ICC released its ratings for all five venues used in Tests. Perth's Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval, Brisbane's Gabba and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) all earned “Very Good” ratings for providing excellent playing conditions.
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However, the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) failed. It received a “Satisfactory” rating due to widespread criticism of the pitch. Players and commentators raised concerns about how quickly the surface deteriorated, making it difficult for batting and falling below the standard expected for Test matches.
The tremendous success of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has reignited talks about changing the way Test cricket is structured. Reports suggest that Australia, India and England are discussing a two-tier Test format ICC Jay Shah chair. The idea, which was first proposed in 2016, would see the top nations play each other more regularly to keep the level of competition high.
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