The highly anticipated Test series opener between South Africa and Australia at Kingsmead, Durban, witnessed a shockingly sparse crowd on its first day. This empty stadium has sparked intense debate among fans on social media regarding the declining popularity and future of Test cricket in South Africa.
The opening day of the Test series between the reigning WTC champions and hosts South Africa and Australia at Kingsmead in Durban witnessed a stark and sobering contrast on Friday, October 9.
South Africa and Australia are playing on South African soil for the first time since the 2018 Test series, an encounter forever etched in cricket history due to the ball-tampering scandal at Newlands. Returning to the Rainbow Nation after eight years since the shocking saga, the two powerhouse cricketing nations have renewed hostilities in a high-stakes three-match red-ball series.
Australia opted to bat after skipper Pat Cummins won the toss against the Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, and the visitors posted a total of 187/6 in 65.2 overs, with Matt Renshaw and Cummins batting on 46 and 33, respectively, before play stopped due to bad light on the opening day of the Durban Test.
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Sparse Crowd at Kingsmead
As South Africa and Australia locked horns in a Test match for the first time since the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s in June 2025, the backdrop at Kingsmead told a story far beyond the fierce contest unfolding on the pitch.
Durban has hosted an international red-ball match for the first time since November 2024, when South Africa faced Sri Lanka. Kingsmead has hosted 49 Test matches, including the ongoing series opener between South Africa and Australia, but only three red-ball matches have been played since 2021.
Durban’s Kingsmead was included as one of the venues for the ongoing Test series between South Africa and Australia, but could not pull a substantial crowd on the opening day, highlighting the growing challenge of drawing local fans to red-ball cricket on weekday mornings.
Kingsmead is not a stranger to historic contests, having hosted some of the most dramatic and longest encounters in the red-ball format since staging its first Test in 1923. However, the empty stands for the match between two fierce rivals, especially Australia’s return to the South Africa red-ball series for the first time in eight years, highlighted an uncomfortable truth about contemporary cricket.
Durban recently hosted an ODI match between both sides and reportedly drew 12,108 spectators, around half of Kingsmead's 25,000 capacity, despite it being a public holiday. But the opening day of the first Test saw only a sparse crowd at Kingsmead, raising concerns about the challenges of attracting spectators to the longest format.
Is Test Cricket Dead in South Africa?
The visuals of an empty Durban’s Kingsmead have sparked debate on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts questioning whether the longest format is losing its appeal in South Africa.
Taking to their X handles, many fans expressed concern over the sparse turnout, with some calling it “Really worrying times for Test match cricket.” While some blamed the popularity of shorter formats, others pointed to weekday scheduling, arguing that “people have time only for T20 and shorter formats now.”
Another section of fans urged others to focus on the match rather than the crowd, while some questioned whether a high-profile Test series could attract so few spectators. The sparse turnout has reignited debate over Test cricket's popularity in South Africa.
As four days remain in the ongoing Test between South Africa and Australia, Kingsmead will hope for a stronger turnout over the remaining days, as the sparse attendance on the opening day has raised questions about the future of Test cricket in the country.
