Aussies had bought a staggering 41,734 virtual seats at the annual SCG Pink Test almost 24 hours before play was due to begin in the crucial clash between the home side and India.
The SCG is bathed in the colour in January every year in honour of legendary fast bowler Glenn McGrath’s wife Jane, who died of breast cancer in 2008 at the age of 42.
Her passing led to the formation of the McGrath Foundation, which has been organising the Test in order to raise money for the fight against breast cancer for the last 16 years.
However, 2025 is the first year the proceeds from the purchase of virtual seats – the foundation’s main method of raising money from the match – will go to battling all forms of cancer in Australia.
The organisers are aiming to sell 350,000 of the cyber-seats over the course of the match, so the news that they’d made so much progress before a ball had been bowled will be huge for the Foundation.
The news comes after Pat Cummins told his Australian teammates to go for the kill and pursue victory at the SCG, despite a draw being enough to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Glenn McGrath (front) is seen during the Pink March before the start of the fifth Test at the SCG on Friday
This year’s pre-match display had a distinctly Indian flavour as the Border-Gavaskar Trophy goes on the line
Aussies had brought almost 42,000 virtual seats at the match before play began – with the McGrath Foundation already well on its way to its target of 350,000
Friday’s clash looms as one of the biggest Tests on home soil this century, and the first time Sydney has had a live series finale since 2004.
Up 2-1, Australia will end 10 years of Indian dominance with a win or a draw.
But there is also more on the line after Monday’s thrilling final-hour victory at the MCG.
A win in Sydney would wrap up a spot in June’s World Test Championship final against South Africa, with two Tests still to play in Sri Lanka later in the summer.
Rain could also play its part, with good weather forecast for the opening three days before showers on Monday and Tuesday.
That could potentially help Australia if they fall behind and need to save the Test, with India the side who must win in Sydney.
Regardless, Cummins said playing for a draw was the furthest thing from his mind.
‘You go in thinking only about the win,’ Australia’s Test captain said.
‘If the wicket or weather or anything takes you in a different direction, then maybe. But that’s really it.
‘It’s not until day four or five until you consider anything like that.’
The Sydney Test will also go a long way towards determining the legacy of Australia’s current team.
While Beau Webster will debut in Sydney and teenager Sam Konstas is playing his second Test, Australia’s team is made up of 10 players aged over 30.
Aussie skipper Pat Cummins (pictured with McGrath at the SCG) has told his teammates to go all-out for the win, despite a draw being enough to secure the trophy
Of the experienced group, only Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon have played in a Test series win over India, back in 2014-15.
In the time since the current group have retained the Ashes twice in England, won a World Test Championship and claimed both the 50-over and T20 World Cups.
But a Border-Gavaskar series win over India has been the one thing to elude Australia, with two series losses in India and another two at home.
‘It’s kind of the one big thing that I want to tick off,’ Cummins said at the start of the summer.
‘Particularly winning at home. Most Australians, me included, expect us to do well whenever we play at home.
‘We’ve lost the (last) two series against them (in Australia), so this is a big one.
‘We feel like our team’s in a really good place, so we’ve got no reason why we shouldn’t perform really well.
‘I just always expect us to do well against whoever we play. But India, particularly, is a big year, big season.’
