The countdown has begun. One of cricket’s fiercest rivalries, The Ashes, is set to commence on November 21. That means just 11 days remain before England and Australia face off in the highly anticipated five-match Test series. Yet, for passionate cricket fans in India, the silence from the official broadcaster, JioHotstar, is deafening.
The following X post perfectly sums up the disappointment among Indian cricket fans regarding how JioHotstar is treating The Ashes 2025.
The Ashes isn’t just a cricket series. It’s a global cultural spectacle. It’s a contest steeped in over a century of history, legendary performances, and unforgettable moments. In India, a nation where cricket is a religion, the Test format, and particularly this storied rivalry, holds a special reverence.
The official Indian broadcasters, Star Sports Network and JioHotstar, hold the exclusive rights to telecast and stream the series. With the start date of November 21 in Perth fast approaching, one would expect a promotional barrage: evocative teasers, expert analyses, highlight reels, and interviews with key players.
Instead, JioHotstar seems to be treating The Ashes 2025 like just another routine series. Is the streamer underestimating the Indian market’s appetite for premium Test cricket? It’s hard to imagine such indifference if India were playing either England or Australia.
This lack of promotion raises an important question about the priorities of major Indian sports broadcasters. While white-ball cricket, especially T20, remains a commercial powerhouse, is Test cricket, the very foundation of the sport and the stage for its greatest sagas, being quietly sidelined?
A Test series involving India would have been accompanied by stylish, rousing promos featuring top Indian stars like Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Mohammad Siraj and more. Ironically, JioHotstar has previously faced backlash for over-promoting India’s Test tour of England earlier this year while giving far less attention to the ongoing World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa.
It’s time for JioHotstar to step up. The Ashes deserves to be promoted with the grandeur and respect befitting its legacy. Give fans the compelling promos, expert discussions, and excitement they crave. Don’t let the spectacle of Australia vs. England fade into the background noise of other programming. Stay tuned for more updates.