Cricket's showpiece Boxing Day Test will be a test case for Victoria's COVID-19 protocols as the state government considers further lifting the crowd capacity at sporting events from next month.
Up to 30,000 cricket fans will flow through the MCG gates for day one of the second Test between Australia and India as crowds return to the famous venue for the first time since March.
The limit had originally been set at 25,000, but was raised earlier this month as Victoria's run of days without a locally-acquired coronavirus case continued.
That streak has now reached 57 days and Victoria's Minister for Sport Martin Pakula on Saturday raised hopes the attendance limit could soon be lifted beyond the current 30 per cent of a venue's capacity.
The news comes with Melbourne still a chance to be given the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar series - scheduled to start on January 7 - if Cricket Australia decides to move it from Sydney amid the latest coronavirus outbreak.
Melbourne will also host Big Bash League matches later in January with the prospect of larger crowds.
"If we continue to maintain that COVID-free run and we continue to maintain those very low numbers and good testing numbers, then the opportunity exists for there to be higher crowds at future events," Pakula said.
"This (Boxing Day Test) was always going to be the event where we were more on the conservative side when it comes to crowd numbers.
"We want to test the processes and it's not just about the systems here at the 'G; it's about how people get in and out of the ground, public transport and all of that."
It has been 173 days since sport was played at the MCG and 292 days since crowds attended the venue because of Victoria's mid-year coronavirus struggles and lockdown measures.
"This is really a great demonstration of how far we've come," Pakula said.
"It's a great tribute to the work of Victorians and a great tribute to the work of Cricket Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club to have this world-leading venue up to scratch today with a crowd of 30,000 people.
"You can feel the sense of excitement around the ground; it's palpable.
"People have had a great Christmas here in Melbourne and they've been looking forward to getting back to the 'G, back to the cricket and hoping to see the Aussies go 2-0 up in the series."
