Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is "very confident" there will be a crowd allowed in for Australia's Boxing Day Test against India after it was announced a long lockdown will end this week.
Strict lockdown restrictions will largely end from 11.59pm in Melbourne on Tuesday after no new coronavirus cases were recorded for the first time since June 9.
The state of Victoria has been in a hard lockdown for over four months, but shops, restaurants, cafes and bars will be allowed to open and outdoors contact sports can resume this week.
While Premier Andrews thinks it will be too soon for people to attend the Melbourne Cup, he expects the doors to be open for another huge event on the Australian sporting calendar.
"The Boxing Day Test of course is very different because that is some way off," he told reporters
"I am very confident that we will get a crowd at the MCG for the Boxing Day Test.
"I don't know how big it will be but there will be a crowd, that'' the advice that I have, that's what we're working towards."
The MCG is set to stage the third of four Tests against Virat Kohli's side.
