JioHotstar Scores Big: India-England Test Series Draws Record Viewership, Surpassing WTC Final Numbers

England's Joe Root (R) and Jamie Smith celebrate after their win against India at Headingley in Leeds. (AP)

The first Test match between India and England held at Headingley in July 2025 witnessed a streaming phenomenon on JioHotstar. The match garnered an impressive 89.1 million viewers and a total watch time of 13.7 billion minutes.

This game marked the beginning of India's five-match Test series, also initiating the WTC 2025-27 cycle for both national teams, led by India's new captain Shubman Gill.

The second Test is scheduled to commence on July 2 in Birmingham. Expectations are high that the remaining matches in this series could potentially break new digital sports consumption records.

The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025, which featured South Africa against Australia, also achieved remarkable viewership figures. South Africa's victory secured their first ICC title and was the most-watched Non-India Test match on linear TV, accumulating 2.95 billion minutes of watch time and reaching 47 million viewers.

On the JioHotstar platform, the WTC Final 2025 captivated 41.4 million viewers, establishing a new benchmark for a Non-India Test match. The viewership numbers even exceeded those of the India vs. Australia WTC Final in 2023.

The new era for Indian cricket, guided by Shubman Gill, and a revamped approach to Test cricket, shows significant viewer engagement across digital platforms. The remaining matches against England have the potential to set further streaming records.

Statistics are sourced from BARC, using metrics for TVR: M15+ AB Urban and Rest: 2 + U + R All India demographics.