India-Australia Test Series Sees 74% Growth in TV Viewership, Becomes Second Most-Watched Away Test Series
Mumbai, February 6: The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 has shattered viewership records on the JioStar network, with TV ratings surging 74% compared to the previous edition of the series held in Australia, according to a release from Star Sports.
The India-Australia rivalry, often dubbed “The Toughest Rivalry”, has reached new heights, with the 2024-25 edition becoming the second most-watched away Test series for Team India on television.
Unprecedented Viewership Numbers
The series was watched by 192.5 million viewers on TV, generating a staggering 52 billion minutes of total watch-time across television and digital platforms. Despite the time-zone differences leading to sub-optimal match timings, the series secured the second-highest viewership for any Test series on Indian television—trailing only behind the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The five-language live broadcast captured iconic cricketing moments, thrilling individual performances, and cultural moments that resonated deeply with fans. The coverage registered a 49% increase in television watch-time compared to the 2020 edition, the Star Sports release added.
Expert Commentary and Innovative Coverage
The viewing experience was further enhanced with a star-studded panel of Indian and Australian cricket experts.
Indian voices included Cheteshwar Pujara, Irfan Pathan, Sunil Gavaskar, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Vijay, and Ravi Shastri, while Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer, and Matthew Hayden provided key insights from the Australian camp.
Sanjog Gupta, CEO Sports, JioStar, expressed pride in elevating the India-Australia cricketing rivalry into a must-watch sporting spectacle.
“We are proud to have institutionalized ‘The Toughest Rivalry’ as a unique descriptor of India-Australia matches. After successfully branding ‘The Greatest Rivalry’ for India-Pakistan clashes, this was the next step in enhancing another key rivalry.”
Gupta also credited Cricket Australia for their collaboration in making the broadcast a world-class experience.
Cricket Australia Hails Global Interest in Test Cricket
Nick Hockley, CEO of Cricket Australia, praised the record-breaking numbers and the global appeal of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“That 192.5 million viewers watched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series on JioStar in India again demonstrates cricket’s ability to reach vast international audiences and the enduring global interest in Test cricket.”
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy continues to solidify its status as one of cricket’s most fiercely contested and widely followed Test series, further fueling the intense India-Australia rivalry.