The second Boxing Day Test of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India will be a grand one as the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will be permitted 30,000 fans per day during the match after the state government eased the crowd restrictions on Thursday (December 10).

Cricket Australia continues to take a step forward in bringing the crowds back in the stadiums for the ongoing home series against India and the upcoming four-match Test series would be certainly an enthralling one with the number of crowds would be greater for the matches in Australia.

The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be a day-night affair at the Adelaide Oval starting December 17 followed by the second Boxing Day Test at MCG on December 26.

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Earlier, the Boxing Day Test match was to be restricted to 25,000 fans per day due to the COVID-19 norms, but now it will witness 30,000 fans per day after Victoria Sports Minister Martin Pakula confirmed the higher number of the crowd during the games on social media.

The Sports Minister announced the increase in fans at stadiums after Victoria didn’t record any COVID-19 case in its 41st consecutive day on Thursday.

Meanwhile, this will be for the first time when the iconic MCG will see such a crowd since the record 86,000 fans watched the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final between Australia and India in March 2020.

Noteworthy, the third Test of the series will be played from January 7- 11 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney followed by the fourth and final Test in Brisbane from January 15-19.

(With Reuters Inputs)