With the stage set for a day-five classic, 51,371 spectators were already in the ground at lunch on Monday for what promises to be a gripping conclusion to an already fascinating match.
The total attendance of 350,700 is the greatest for any Test match in Australia.
It exceeds the total of 350,534 against England in 1937 over six days, when Bradman was the king of cricket.
Another big crowd was watching day-five action at the MCG. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)
"We've been blown away by the support of fans across the Boxing Day Test," Cricket Australia's events and operations boss Joel Morrisson said
"The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a blockbuster event, and it has been fantastic to see such strong attendances right across the summer."
A total of 43,867 fans came through the gates on Sunday, bringing the overall attendance to 299,329 and breaking the previous record - 271,865 against England in 2013 - for a Boxing Day Test.
This Test has become the second-highest attended of all-time, with only the India-Pakistan match (465,000) at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in 1999 ahead of it.
With five-day Tests becoming a rarity in modern cricket, particularly in Australia, all tickets for Monday's action were priced at $10.
The anticipation is building….— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/z01E7WlssIDecember 29, 2024
Saturday attracted 83,073 fans, a record for day three at a Boxing Day Test.
Thursday's baking heat meant Boxing Day fell short of breaking the all-time crowd record for a day of Test cricket - 91,092 in 2013 at the MCG - but 87,242 fans still attended.
Cooler conditions on Friday meant 85,147 fans - a record for day two of a Boxing Day Test.
The previous record for an Australia-India Boxing Day Test was 194,481 in 2014, wicketkeeping great MS Dhoni's red-ball farewell.
"I've not seen anything like it at a cricket match," Melbourne Cricket Club boss Stuart Fox said on Sunday.
"I think that just the spirit in the stadium ... all of our staff on day one just said how happy the crowd were."
It continues a monster year for the MCG following three sold-out Taylor Swift concerts of her iconic The Eras Tour in February, and the AFL season averaging 60,000 per match.
"I thought Taylor Swift was big, but this has been something else," Fox said.
"But I think with Taylor Swift coming in, a fantastic AFL season, then this Boxing Day Test, it's (2024) going to be hard to beat, I can assure you."
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