Former Australia opener David Warner has slammed the poor fan attendance in the ongoing Test series against South Africa.
Australia comprehensively defeated South Africa by 214 runs in the first Test played in Durban in front of a sparse crowd. The fans were also in low-attendance during the first two days of the rain-affected second Test in Gqeberha.
Warner took to X and shared his disappointment over the empty stands during the series.
“We keep hearing how important Test cricket is, but where are the fans in South Africa? Empty stands, no atmosphere, and we’re supposed to believe the format is thriving?,” he wrote.
He said it was pathetic that fans were not turning up to watch Test cricket, arguing that the format could not be called the pinnacle of the game under such circumstances.
“You can’t keep calling Test cricket the pinnacle of the game if no one turns up to watch it. Harsh reality, but someone has to say it. Pathetic,” he added.
After a low-attendance in Durban during the first Test, the Kwa-Zulu Natal Cricket Union (KZNCU) said that they would launch a review into the reasons behind sparse crowds.
Only 20,000 fans turned up for the series opener, which was also the first Test in South Africa between both countries since the infamous Sandpaper gate. It was also the Proteas first Test at home since January 2025.
KZNCU CEO Heinrich Strydom also lamented the empty stands and said both teams deserved greater support from crowd.
“A Test match of this quality, featuring the Proteas and Australia, deserved greater support in the stands,” Heinrich Strydom, KZNCU CEO, said in a statement.
“While we recognise that supporters face competing demands on their time and finances, we must also understand better what influences their decisions to attend and what more we can do to make live cricket an attractive and worthwhile experience,” he added.