The opening allocation of tickets for the Big Bash League’s blockbuster clash in Chennai were exhausted within 30 minutes.
Tickets for the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers season opener went on sale on Saturday and the demand has prompted further tickets to be released.
Additional tickets will be made available in coming weeks, despite BBL matches typically having their biggest rush within 48 hours of the first ball.
The match will be played at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium – the home of Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League – on Saturday, December 12.
Cricket Australia expects the match to be the highest-rating Australian sports match of all time.
Melbourne Renegades captain Will Sutherland anticipated a “wild” atmosphere.
“From what I’ve seen in the IPL, (38,200) Indian fans will be pretty wild and probably an atmosphere I haven’t experienced,” he said.
“I am very excited to play in front of a full Indian stadium; hopefully, a lot of those fans will get behind the red team.”
The Renegades are planning to arrive in India three or four days before the match to connect as a group and acclimatise to conditions.
Sutherland said the Renegades would implement more spin into training in preparation for the Chennai surface.
“It’s notoriously spin-friendly conditions (in India), so I am sure we will do a bit of work before we come away on playing spin,” he said.
“I know they’ve got a few good spinners as well, the Scorchers, so I think tactically, that will be the main challenge for us.”
Cricket Victoria put Melbourne Renegades on the market earlier this year as part of the initial stages of BBL privatisation.
The match will offer the BBL and the Renegades a rare opportunity to test their appeal in cricket’s biggest market.