Brisbane’s cricket bonanza: Gabba’s sold-out test to bring $3m to city

Saturday’s sold-out opening day for the blockbuster showdown between cricket’s world superpowers is expected to generate the biggest Gabba crowd for a Test match outside of The Ashes.

Junior cricketers Joe Tovey, 9, Sara Lalwani, 12, Will McDonald, 14, Mia Ferguson, 15 and Mabel Tovey, 11 from Nathan McSweeney's junior club Northern Suburbs District Cricket Club in Kedron. Picture: Nigel Hallett.

Saturday’s sold-out opening day for the blockbuster showdown between cricket’s world superpowers is expected to generate the biggest Gabba crowd for a Test match outside of The Ashes in an economic sweep worth more than $3m to Brisbane.

While Ashes battles are traditionally the biggest crowd-pullers, more than 60,000 fans are expected to flock to the first two days of the Australia v India Test across the weekend, with the record for a non-Ashes Test at risk.

The current record of 78,000 was set during a day-night Test against Pakistan eight years ago and that would seem destined to fall as long as this year’s match isn’t ruined by bad weather or a one-sided thrashing.

Pre-game ticket sales will also ensure the Test turnout is the biggest crowd ever for an India game at the Gabba, on track to beat the 53,000 there more than 20 years ago.

India is now a different beast, boasting the world’s largest population of middle-class citizens who have the means and the desire to travel to watch their beloved national cricket team in action.

Rishabh Pant bats during an India Men's Test Squad training session at The Gabba. Photo: Bradley Kanaris

Locals are also getting in on the action, with Cricket Australia revealing the top local postcodes for ticket sales were all in the state’s South East.

Postcode 4300, in Ipswich, recorded the most sales with 1300 tickets, while 4350 in Toowoomba had 1118 sales and 4122, on Brisbane’s southside, had 980.

Cricket Australia’s executive general manager of Events and Operations Joel Morrison said India was a hugely important market and every effort was being made to entice Indian citizens and expats to the summer of cricket.

“India is the biggest population in the world, they have the biggest middle class and they have increasing disposable income and propensity to travel,” he said.

“This is already shaping as the most-watched Test cricket series of all time.”

There is also set to be plenty of action off the field.

Usman Khawaja bats during an Australia Men's Test Squad training session at The Gabba. Photo: Bradley Kanaris / Getty Images.

An Australia-India Sport Innovation Summit was hosted by the Centre for Australia India Relations in Brisbane on Friday, while the precinct around the Gabba will come alive in a Bollywood Boulevard of Indian-themed music, dancing and food trucks during the Test.

Queensland Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said the benefits of the match to the economy went well beyond the crowd pouring through the Gabba turnstiles.

Weather across the five days is expected to be hot, with temperatures in the 30s and a slight to medium chance of showers.

The sold out first day comes as speculation continues over the future of the Gabba, which is at the centre of debate over whether it should get a multibillion-dollar revamp for the Olympics, or replaced by a new stadium at Victoria Park.

As the uncertainty drags on, Cricket Australia has been reluctant to commit future Tests to the Gabba, which has been left off the 2026-27 calendar.