The Melbourne Cricket Ground will permit 30,000 fans per day during the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India after authorities eased crowd restrictions on Thursday.
The match was to be capped at 25,000 fans per day but Victoria sports minister Martin Pakula confirmed the increase on social media after the southern state confirmed it had notched its 41st consecutive day without a new case of Covid-19.
The second Test of the four-match series will be the first time fans have been allowed to attend the iconic stadium since 86,000 watched Australia win the Women's T20 World Cup final against India in March.
Meanwhile, Steve Smith admitted he was pumped to play his first Test in almost a year, revealing how hard it was to miss India's last series in Australia when he was banned for ball-tampering.
The two sides meet in a day-night Test in Adelaide from December 17, the first of four clashes over a blockbuster summer.
It will be Smith's first red-ball international since the final Test against New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January before coronavirus caused havoc.
"Very excited, I love Test cricket, it's my favourite form of the game no doubt. It challenges you in so many different ways," Smith said.
"So excited to get back out and play some long-form cricket. It's been close to a year since our last game. Can't wait – all the boys are really keen to get out there and play as well."
Making it extra special for Smith is that he missed India's historic first Test series win in Australia in 2018-19 when he was serving his 12-month suspension.
"I watched bits and pieces," he said of the tour. "It was difficult sitting on the sidelines and not being able to go out there and make a difference.
"That was the toughest thing for me, knowing that I probably could make a difference if I was out there. So that was hard. But it's an exciting series coming up."
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Largest sports stadiums in the world
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20. The Bukit Jalil National Stadium near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has a seating capacity of 87,411, and is the 20th biggest sports stadium on earth. AFP -
The Bukit Jalil National Stadium near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during the 21st South East Asian Games. Allsport -
19. The Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, has a capacity of 87,451. AFP -
The Jordan-Hare Stadium during the game between the Auburn Tigers and the LSU Tigers in Auburn, Alabama. AFP -
18. The Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida can host 88,548. Wikimediacommons -
University of Central Florida Golden Knights against the University of Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. Getty -
17. The Wembley stadium in London is the epicentre of English football with a capacity of exactly 90,000. Getty -
The Jacksonville Jaguars kick off their NFL match against Houston Texans at the Wembley Stadium in London. Getty -
16. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, has a capacity of 90,888. AFP -
An NCAA match between the Michigan Wolverines and UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California. The venue has been deemed a 'National Historic Landmark'. Getty -
15. The Cotton Bowl Stadium at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas, USA, has a capacity of 92,100. Wikimediacommons -
The Cotton Bowl in Texas, USA. Wikimediacommons -
14. The Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, USA, can host 92,746. AFP -
The Sanford Stadium during the game between Georgia Bulldogs and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Athens, Georgia. AFP -
13. The Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, can seat 94,736. Getty -
The Soccer City Stadium, also called the FNB Stadium, during the African Cup of Nations in Johannesburg. Allsport -
12. The Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, is currently the biggest football venue in the world with a capacity of 99,354. Getty -
The Camp Nou ahead of the Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Liverpool in 2019. Getty -
11. The Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia is the second biggest cricket venue in the world, with a capacity of 100,024. Wikimediacommons -
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is one of the most iconic venues in the world. Getty -
10. The Darrel K Royal Stadium in Austin, Texas, is the 10th largest stadium in the world with a seating capability of 100,119. Wikimediacommons -
The DKR-TM Stadium in 2011 during the match between Texas Longhorns and Kansas Jayhawks. Wikimediacommons -
9. The Bryant–Denny Stadium, at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, USA, can seat 101,821. Wikimediacommons -
The Bryant-Denny Stadium during an Alabama football game against the Tennessee Volunteers. Wikimediacommons -
8. The Tiger Stadium, located in Baton Rouge on the campus of Louisiana State University, has a capacity of 102,321. Wikimediacommons -
A night game in Tiger Stadium at the Louisiana State University. Wikimediacommons -
7. The Neyland Stadium at Knoxville, Tennessee, can seat 102,455. Wikimediacommons -
Tennessee Volunteers before the start of their game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, which is the seventh biggest stadium in the world. Getty -
6. The Kyle Field at College Station, Texas, has a capacity of 102,733. Wikimediacommons -
The Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, during the 2015 season. Wikimediacommons -
5. The Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, USA, has a capacity of 102,780. AFP -
The Ohio Stadium at the Ohio State University in Columbus is the fifth largest stadium in the world. Alamy Stock Photo -
4. The Beaver Stadium, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions, in Pennsylvania, USA. Its capacity is 106,572. Alamy Stock Photo -
The Beaver Stadium during the NCAA college football game between Penn State and Michigan. Shutterstock -
3. Michigan Stadium is the American football stadium at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It is the largest stadium in the United States, the third largest in the world with a capacity of 107,601. Alamy Stock Photo -
Aerial view of the Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, USA. AFP -
2. The Sardar Patel Stadium in Gujarat, India, is the world's biggest cricket stadium. The venue in Ahmedabad has a capacity of 110,000 and was inaugurated by US President Donald Trump in February. AFP -
The Sardar Patel Stadium in Gujarat is the second largest stadium in the world. AFP -
1. The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea. It is the largest stadium in the world, with a total capacity of 114,000. Shutterstock -
Performers during the Arirang mass games at the The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea.
