BGT Opening Match Set To Achieve All-Time High Test Attendance In Western Australia

A record turnout for the second successive day in the opening game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Optus Stadium here has set the stage for the match to achieve an all-time high Test attendance in Western Australia.

After a dramatic opening day dominated by the Jasprit Bumrah-led Indian bowling attack, which saw an astonishing 17 wickets tumble, Indian openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal showcased exceptional resilience.

Their unbroken 172-run partnership has put India firmly in control of the match, with an overall lead of 218 runs.

“Today’s crowd of 32,368 at the NRMA Insurance West Test is a record for any day of Test cricket in Perth. The total attendance across the first two days is 63670,” stated Cricket Australia.

With three days remaining, the ongoing match is poised to break the all-time attendance record for a Test match in Western Australia.

The current record stands at 103,440, set during the 2006-07 Ashes Test at the WACA. To surpass this milestone, an additional 39,771 fans need to attend over the next three days.

The first day of the Test had already set a new benchmark, with 31,302 spectators filling the stadium, breaking the previous single-day record of 22,178, achieved during the second day of the 2017 Ashes Test at the WACA. 

Jaiswal, Rahul shine bright as India gain complete control with 218-run lead

Yashasvi Jaiswal combined game awareness with perfect shot selection while KL Rahul remained technically unflappable in an unbroken opening stand of 172 as India looked set to bat Australia out of the match with an overall lead of 218 runs on the second day of the opening Test here.

After skipper Jasprit Bumrah’s game-changing 11th five-wicket haul decimated Australia for 104, young Jaiswal (90 batting, 193 balls) and seasoned Rahul (62 batting, 154 balls) decided to grind it out with some old fashioned Test match batting by waiting for the loose deliveries and respecting good fast bowling.

The Indians showed their compact defense by scoring 88 runs in 31 overs during the post-tea session as Jaiswal inched towards a coveted ton on his maiden outing on Australian soil.

With enough time at their disposal and signs of cracks appearing on the surface, this is going to be India’s Test match to lose.

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the body by ABP Live.)