On Day 2 of the ongoing Test match between Australia and India, Mohammed Siraj bowled centurion Travis Head, which was promptly mocked by the Australian fans in the Adelaide Oval crowd. Head surprisingly missed a low full-toss by Siraj to have his stumps castled after hammering India all over the pitch in his majestic innings, which included 17 fours and four maximums.
What the Australian supporters objected to, though, was not the local boy’s dismissal. Siraj seems to have started the verbal altercation between the two while he was celebrating. In addition to blurting out a few venomous comments, he also waved him away, seemingly signalling him to head to the pavilion. Head was prompted by the angry response to speak up as well. Following a really remarkable knock that put his team in the lead, he returned to a raucous response a short while later.
The same could not be said for Siraj, who was constantly jeered by the Australian supporters both during and after the match. The Indians, especially Rishabh Pant, attempted to reassure him after his over as he made his way to the fine-leg fence. On his trip to the far end of the ground, he had no reprieve. The domestic audience in the background was vocal enough to voice their disapproval of Siraj’s behaviour.
The end of a sensational innings! 🗣️#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/kEIlHmgNwT
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 7, 2024
It’s interesting to note that Siraj’s inability to regulate his emotions was not new. When Siraj was running in to bowl at the conclusion of the first day, a spectator with a stack of beer cups had caused Marnus Labuschagne to recede, so he had gone so far as to hurl the ball back towards him.
Mohammed Siraj’s gesture is deemed “unnecessary” by Sunil Gavaskar.
In the meantime, Siraj’s behaviour towards Travis Head appeared to annoy famous Indian batsman and on-air commentator Sunil Gavaskar. Someone who has scored a daddy hundred, as to Gavaskar, has done nothing wrong to merit the bowler’s farewell.
Not required (Siraj’s response), in my opinion, the man has 140; he doesn’t have four, five, or anything. You have 140, and you’re sending him off in a completely inappropriate way. He’s receiving the stick from the audience, which makes sense. He’s a local hero, Travis Head is a local hero, and Siraj would have been a hero to the whole crowd if he had simply cheered after reaching 100. Rather than offering him a farewell, he has turned into the antagonist, he stated on Star Sports.
“Look,” the Mumbai native continued, “the man has 140. As I mentioned, if he went out for one or two, you give him a send-off in a totally different way.”
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