India vs Pakistan Test: Melbourne Cricket Club expresses interest to host after T20 World Cup clash success

MCC,
which
manages
the
Melbourne
Cricket
Ground,
and
the
Victoria
government
have
recently
inquired
with
Cricket
Australia
(CA)
about
the
possibility
of
hosting
the
high-profile
India
vs
Pakistan
Test.

MCC
chief
executive
Stuart
Fox
has
revealed
his
intentions
to
host
the
Test
following
the
tremendous
success
of
the
T20
World
Cup
clash
in
October,
which
was
attended
by
over
90,000
spectators.

“Absolutely.
Three
(Tests)
in
a
row
would
be
lovely
at
the
MCG.
You’d
fill
it
every
time.
We
have
asked,”
Fox
was
quoted
as
saying
by
SEN
radio.

“We’ve
taken
that
up
with
Cricket
Australia.
I
know
the
(Victoria)
government
has
as
well.
Again,
it’s
enormously
complicated
from
what
I
can
understand,
amongst
a
really
busy
schedule.
So
I
think
that’s
probably
the
greater
challenge.

“Wouldn’t
it
be
great
that
it
wasn’t
just
Australia-centric
and
Victoria-centric,
that
we’re
catering
for
all
the
countries
and
filling
the
stadium
all
the
time.
So
we
have
asked.”

Fox
said
it
is
now
up
to
CA
to
pursue
the
matter
with
the
ICC.

“Hopefully,
Cricket
Australia
keep
taking
it
up
with
the
ICC
and
keep
pushing
for
it.
When
you
do
see
some
of
the
stadiums
around
the
world
unoccupied,
I
think
it
would
be
much
better
to
have
a
full
house
and
that
atmosphere
and
celebrating
the
game
with
full
houses,”
he
said.

The
last
time
India
and
Pakistan
played
a
bilateral
Test
match
against
each
other
was
way
back
in
2007.
Since
then,
both
sides
have
only
faced
each
other
in
either
ICC
or
Asian
Cricket
Council
tournaments.

Pakistan
are
scheduled
to
feature
in
the
Boxing
Day
Test
against
Australia
at
the
MCG
in
2023
as
part
of
a
three-match
series
in
the
next
World
Test
Championship
cycle,
and
Fox
hopes
for
a
full
house
in
that
match
similar
to
the
India-Pakistan
T20
World
Cup
clash.

“I’ve
never
seen
anything
like
it
at
the
MCG,
that
India-Pakistan
game
was
something
else,”
Fox
said.
“The
atmosphere,
I’ve
never
felt
it
like
that.
The
noise
after
every
ball
was
just
phenomenal
and
the
families
and
children
and
everyone
enjoying
it.

“I
think
if
we
can
be
more
inclusive
and
make
sure
that
we
cater
for
all
cultures,
we’ve
got
to
tap
into
that
Pakistan
community
next
year.
We
want
them
here
and
that
would
be
fantastic
to
have
a
full
house
day
one,”
he
added.