India and Pakistan have not met in the longest format of the game since 2007 when bilateral cricket between the neighbors was stopped. The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) is now investigating the potential of hosting a Test match between the two nations.
Since hosting Pakistan in a bilateral limited overs series in 2013, the two nations have only faced off in the Asia Cup, the 20- and 50-over World Cups.
The two last crossed paths at the Twenty20 World Cup in October, where over 90,000 spectators packed the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch India triumph in a nail-biting final ball contest.
According to MCC Chief Executive Stuart Fox, the atmosphere at that game demonstrated that it would not be difficult to fill the venue for a Test.
“The atmosphere for that game, I’ve never felt anything like it,” Fox told radio station SEN.
“The noise after every ball was phenomenal. Three (Tests) in a row would be lovely at the MCG, you’d fill it every time. “We’ve taken that up with Cricket Australia. I know the (Victoria) government has as well.
It’s enormously complicated from what I can understand, amongst a really busy schedule. So I think that’s probably the greater challenge.“
Fox expressed his hope that Cricket Australia would continue to advocate for the plan with the International Cricket Council, which oversees the sport internationally.
“I think it would be far better to have a full house and that mood and celebrate the game with full houses,” Fox continued. “When you do see some of the stadiums across the world empty.”
