"You will not get these kinds of crowds" - Former India coach's interesting solution to maintain big crowds after BGT 2024-25 4th Test
Former India coach Ravi Shastri has proposed a two-tier system for the survival and sustenance of Test cricket after seeing the record-breaking attendance in the recent Melbourne Test between India and Australia. With the five-match series tied at 1-1, the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test saw over 373,691 people flock to the MCG over five days, breaking the previous attendance record of 350,534 in a Test in Australia.
Except for Day 4, the remaining days saw crowds of over 70,000, with the first three days recording over 80,000 people each at the stadium. It was a welcome sign for Test cricket, considering its recent struggles for survival amid the growing popularity of T20s.
Talking about the same, Shastri said (as quoted by News 18):
"This match further emphasises why we need a two-tier system with the top 6-8 teams and then include promotion and demotion. You will not get these kinds of crowds if you don’t have two proper teams playing."
He added:
"To break crowd records that have stood for nearly a century… is testimony to the fact that when the best teams play, the toughest and best format of the game is still alive and thriving. I will say that there’s too much of a clutter otherwise."
The record crowds were thoroughly entertained as India and Australia went toe-to-toe on all five days, with the hosts eventually clinching a 184-run win in the final session of Day 5.
"There’ll always be talk of four-day Tests" - Ravi Shastri
Ravi Shastri believes talks about four-day Tests will take centerstage unless two evenly matched teams like India and Australia play each other. He pointed to the theatrical atmosphere on Day 5 of the Melbourne Test to further highlight the need for a two-tier system in Tests.
"The theatre in the end on (day five) Monday was further proof of why we need five days for a classic Test match. However, if you don’t create a two-tier system, you’ll continue to have unmatched teams up against each other and then it’s very unlikely they’ll be able to take a game into the fifth day. Then there’ll always be talk of four-day Tests," Shastri said in the same interveiw.
With Australia leading the ongoing five-match series 2-1, there is much at stake in the final Test to be played in Sydney, starting January 3, raising expectations of another massive crowd at the venue.