MCG crowd's roar after Reddy’s hundred is something I've never heard: CA CEO Hockley

Melbourne: The collective roar of Indian fans after Nitish Kumar Reddy’s maiden hundred is something that he has never heard at the MCG, and Cricket Australia’s outgoing CEO Nick Hockley said on Sunday that it validated the decision to add a Test to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The CA's decision to increase the number of Tests for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from four to five has proved to be a masterstroke as crowd attendance and viewership records are set to surpass the hallowed Ashes.

“I want to say thank you to everyone who turned up, the atmosphere last night when Nitish Kumar Reddy scored his hundred, the roar of the crowd was nothing that I have ever heard,” Hockley told PTI in an exclusive interaction.

The record total attendance (over five days) for a Boxing Day Test till date is 271,865 against England back in 2013 and the fourth Test involving India has already witnessed a footfall of 255,462 spectators.

With two more days left, CA is expecting the attendance to go well past 300,000.

Hockley couldn’t be more thrilled.

“Absolutely thrilled with the number of fans that have come round from all over India. It’s been an absolutely incredible atmosphere as we got over a quarter million people over the gates and that’s too on days one, two and three,” Hockley said.

“This Border-Gavaskar Trophy has had the biggest Boxing Day crowd ever passing the Ashes and the series is so delicately poised now, it is living up to every hype.” Hockley, who has had a good working relationship with the BCCI, said it was a no-brainer that the four-Test series between India and Australia transformed into a five-match rubber, considering its massive following.

“I think it speaks about the relations between India and Australia and fans are always excited to see these two teams. The five-Test series is what the fans deserve, players deserve. This series is likely to be alive going into Sydney.

“We haven’t had a full fifth day as we have had some unfinished business. I thank and am very grateful to the BCCI to have agreed to play a five-Test series. Hope it continues for the rest of the time.” Days 1, 2 and 3 in Sydney all but sold out.

There is forecast of rain during the New Year’s Test in Sydney but even then the Indian diaspora will throng to the grounds with very limited tickets still left for the first three days.

“Sydney will be very, very full. I think there are only very few tickets left for days one, two and three. We encourage people to quickly get their tickets if they want to come on Day 4.

“There is a wonderful community from India in Sydney and we expect a similar atmosphere like MCG,” he noted.

Excited about prospects of cricket’s inclusion in Brisbane 2032

Los Angeles Olympics 2028 will witness the re-introduction of cricket at the quadrennial extravaganza and Hockley along with current ICC chairman Jay Shah are also in talks with Local Organising Committee (LOC) of Brisbane 2032 for keeping the sport in the Games’ roster.

“I am super excited for cricket being in Los Angeles, 2028. It is going to be amazing. It will be an opportunity to showcase cricket to a global audience and we are very excited to host the Olympics in Brisbane in 2032. We are hopeful and excited about the prospects of cricket being part of Brisbane 2032.”

“It is exciting times for cricket and the Olympics. We want more people who get to see our great game. T20 cricket for men and women is incredible entertainment and it has been the starting point of our discussion as to how we can help to grow the game globally,” Hockley concluded.