With superstars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retiring from Test cricket, there were question marks whether a young Indian team will attract eyeballs at the stadium or on digital platforms. However, all the doubts were cast aside as the five-Test series between India and England became the most-watched Test series on any digital platform.
The peak was achieved on Day 5 of the fifth Test at The Oval with India needing four wickets to win the game and level series 2-2. At one point, there were as many as 1.3 crore viewers streaming the match on JioHotstar. It is the highest-ever for a Test match on a digital platform.
The numbers proved that the red-ball cricket is far from being the unpopular format. The Test series had its ebbs and flows with all games reaching Day 5. The Test series was streamed live for a total of 65 billion minutes on the streaming platform. Over 170 million logged into the streaming app to watch the Test series, the highest-ever reach for a Test series on the digital front.
"The extraordinary response to India's tour of England reinforced Test cricket's ability to forge compelling narratives in almost every session of every match. Reaching over 170 million viewers and setting new concurrency records is a testament not just to the thrilling cricket, but also to our commitment to delivering an immersive storytelling and viewing experience," said Siddharth Sharma, JioStar’s Head of Content.
Siraj gives it all on mast-watched Day 5
The last hour of the Test series had everyone glued to the TV screens. In the absence of an in-form Jasprit Bumrah who missed the fifth Test due to workload management, Siraj delivered the performance of a lifetime. He swung the old ball, instilling belief in captain Shubman Gill. The skipper opted not to take the second new ball. Early in the day’s play, Siraj got a faint outside edge off Jamie Smith’s bat. He wrapped up the proceedings with a yorker to knock over Gus Atkinson and lead India to a six-run win.
Even England head coach Brendon McCullum was awe of Siraj’s attitude. He said that this is the best Test series he has been a part of.