NEW DELHI: India legend Sunil Gavaskar launched a scathing attack on Australian media for targeting India pacer Mohammed Siraj after his fiery send-off to Travis Head in the pink-ball Adelaide Test last week.
The incident unfolded when Head, after a blistering 140, was dismissed by Siraj, who directed a send-off towards the Australian batter by pointing to the dressing room. However, Head also responded as he was seen saying some words to Siraj.
Following the incident, Siraj faced criticism from several former Australian cricketers and sections of the Australian media for his fiery reaction.
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“Siraj is getting the stick from all the ‘saints’ in Australian cricket who, of course, were known for their impeccable behavior 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,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald.
“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,” he added.
However, Gavaskar expressed surprise at Siraj’s aggressive celebration, noting the positive impact the Indian Premier League (IPL) has had over the years in fostering camaraderie and improving relations between players of different nationalities.
“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.”
Both Siraj and Head were penalised by the ICC for their verbal altercation. Siraj received a 20% fine on his match fee for using strong language and making gestures, while Head was also sanctioned. Each player was handed one demerit point as part of the disciplinary action.
