India vs England series opens with record-breaking Test viewership on JioHotstar
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The opening Test of India's five-match series against England has set a new benchmark for digital sports viewership in India.Streaming platform JioHotstar recorded its highest-ever reach for a Test match, with 89.1 million viewers tuning in and a total of 13.7 billion minutes of watch-time, the company said Tuesday.The match, held at Headingley, marked the beginning of India's campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle and the first major outing under Shubman Gill's leadership. The series has been positioned as a new chapter for India's red-ball cricket ambitions after Virat kohli and Rohit Sharma announced departure from the longest format of the game.The game was streamed in five languages, English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada, and featured supplementary content such as 'Follow The Blues,' a behind-the-scenes series that provided daily access to training and team preparations.A special presentation segment, 'When India Challenged the Crown,' revisited key moments from India's Test history in England. Former captain Rohit Sharma also featured in promotional content for the series.JioHotsar expects the momentum to continue through the remainder of the series. The second Test begins on July 2 in Birmingham.Meanwhile, the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 between South Africa and Australia also posted strong digital and television numbers. The final match of the 2023–25 WTC cycle saw South Africa clinch their first ICC title in over two decades, defeating Australia in a high-profile clash.On linear television, the final drew a viewership of 2.95 billion minutes and a reach of 47 million — the highest ever for a Non-India Test match. On JioHotstar, it was watched by 41.4 million viewers, surpassing the viewership of the 2023 WTC final between India and Australia.
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