This was no Ranji clash, but a marquee Test opener—an international match that deserved a full house—yet Ahmedabad’s 132,000-capacity stadium looked eerily empty.
Even Mohammed Siraj’s fiery 4/40 and Jasprit Bumrah’s incisive spell, which bundled West Indies out for 162, couldn’t lift the flat atmosphere.
The choice of Ahmedabad for a lower-profile series has triggered a fresh debate about whether India’s biggest ground is the right stage for Test cricket. Fans argued that while the stadium is perfect for high-voltage T20Is and marquee clashes, hosting a Test against West Indies made the stands look barren.
'If you have to play a lower-tier team, schedule the game at a venue that loves Test cricket. A ground like Chennai, Kolkata or Bengaluru would’ve been packed. Ahmedabad works for big T20 contests, not five-day matches,' one fan wrote on X.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has spread Tests across as many as 18 venues this century, but there are growing calls to restrict matches to a handful of cities with established crowds and better tourism value. The debate also recalls Virat Kohli’s 2019 push for “five fixed Test centres” to ensure packed houses and predictable conditions for visiting teams.
By contrast, England and Australia have limited Test venues to around nine and ten stadiums respectively, ensuring fuller stands and stronger traditions. India’s rotating venue policy, aimed at appeasing state associations, is once again under scrutiny after another underwhelming turnout in the longest format.
