Siraj is getting stick from "saints" of Australian cricket, writes Gavaskar

Team India legend Sunil Gavaskar called it double standards of the Australian pundits for criticising Mohammed Siraj for his fiery send-off to Travis Head in the second Test match.

Mohammed Siraj and Travis Head were seen getting engaged in a heated conversation during the second Test match. While Head said that Siraj`s reaction was uncalled for, the Indian pacer on his part countered that the southpaw never said “well bowled” which he claimed to have told the media.

ICC warned Travis Head and on the other hand, Mohammed Siraj was fined 20 per cent of his match`s fee.

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“Siraj is getting the stick from all the saints in Australian cricket who, of course, were known for their impeccable behaviour on the field. It may have incensed Australian fans that Siraj`s fiery send-off was directed at Head, who scored a magnificent century and was also the local boy,” Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sydney Morning Herald.

Sunil Gavaskar also opened up about the double standards of how the same people are supporting the bad-mannered behaviour of their own.

“But the same people will cheer if an Aussie quick gives a similar send-off to an English batter during next summer`s Ashes.”

“There were some suggestions in the media that the Australians should get back to being the mongrels they once were. So, do mongrels simply purr, or do they bark, too?”

Sunil Gavaskar was however surprised at Siraj`s outburst considering that IPL had lessened the animosity among players. “Siraj`s outburst was surprising because if the Indian Premier League has done one thing, apart from making Aussie cricketers and coaches millionaires, it has also taken away to a huge extent the animosity that previously existed in the game.”

(With PTI Inputs)