'Feels like a practice game': Low attendance at India vs West Indies Test in Ahmedabad sparks debate

Indian fans have raised questions about the BCCI’s choice of venue for the first Test against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Thousands of seats remained empty as the match got underway on Thursday, October 2. The same situation continued on the second day of the match as well.

Fans slam BCCI for picking Ahmedabad as venue for 1st Test

Fans online criticised the BCCI for choosing the world’s biggest cricket stadium for the first Test against the West Indies, even though it was clear that it would be very hard to fill all 1,32,000 seats against a lower-ranked side. One fan suggested that Ahmedabad should be used for marquee T20 matches only and not Tests.

The fan added that Tests should be played at venues where people really want to watch red-ball cricket, such as Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi, Dharamsala, Vizag, etc. Fans want the BCCI to limit Test cricket to a few selected centres rather than playing in Ahmedabad, where people are not as interested.

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Some fans also believe that the low attendance could be due to the absence of stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R. Ashwin, who all recently retired from Test cricket.

This empty stadium says it all. And people wonder why cricket thrives in Australia and England… the atmosphere here is electric. Compare that to today’s India vs West Indies Test… feels like a practice game.

pic.twitter.com/pfaU16ClKm

— Navaldeep Singh (@NavalGeekSingh) October 2, 2025

Maybe it's history of WC final or what but this ground looks so sad & dull all the time.
There is literally zero aesthetics & crowd involvement in test cricket is zero.
It's such a shame grounds like Eden hasn't hosted even one test in last few years#INDvsWI pic.twitter.com/uJU49vnWix

— Raazi (@Crick_logist) October 2, 2025

Reason of Empty Stands in Test Cricket?
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{ Virat Kohli, BCCI, Test Cricket, Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, India vs West Indies, Test Series, WTC, Cricket Boy } pic.twitter.com/rczewk0jXr

— Cricket Boy (@Cricket_boy18) October 3, 2025

Even league matches in domestic games have a better crowd than #INDvsWI test at @GCAMotera stadium. This stadium is the worst to have any international test matches. Host only IPL matches. Only this stadium can give such cold vibes for a test match.

— Biswajit 📚 🖊️ 👓 (@biswa_1211) October 3, 2025

This is not Ranji match, this is an International match between India vs West Indies at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahemdabad..

- No Crowds without Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma in Test Cricket.

pic.twitter.com/uCRW1a8BTA

— MANU. (@IMManu_18) October 2, 2025

If we had to play a lower tier team, we should have ideally played them in a stadium that people want to watch Test Cricket.

Virat's suggestion of having fixed test venues should be looked at.

Ahmedabad is the country's biggest stadium, and to host a lower tier team at such a… pic.twitter.com/Xv9IDizvaM

— Kartik Kannan (@kartik_kannan) October 2, 2025

The West Indies had a poor start after winning the toss and electing to bat, losing half their batting lineup by lunch on Day 1. They were restricted to 162 after the break, with Mohammed Siraj taking four wickets for 40 runs, while Jasprit Bumrah (3/42), Kuldeep Yadav (1/25), and Washington Sundar (1/7) also picked up wickets.

India started well with the bat and have already managed to close the lead. KL Rahul scored a brilliant century and is unbeaten, while Shubman Gill registered a fifty before getting out to Roston Chase. India are currently leading by 56 runs at lunch on Day 2.