The Australian crowd, praised for their strong support during the pink-ball Test against India, showed their “sportsmanship” by responding to a situation that seemed to go against the spirit of the game. When Mohammad Siraj came to bat in the second innings, the crowd booed him, and their hostility intensified when he was dismissed by a catch from Travis Head.
As Siraj walked off, the crowd’s abuse grew louder, with some even calling him a “wanker.” In a display of solidarity, Jasprit Bumrah stepped in, asking Siraj to lead the way to the dressing room as the abuse continued.
Earlier, Siraj and Head had exchanged fiery words when Siraj dismissed Head, who had scored 140 runs off 141 balls, including a six off Siraj’s bowling in the 140th over. Head allegedly “mocked” Siraj by saying “well bowled,” a remark that didn’t sit well with the Indian pacer.
This led to the verbal altercation, and the crowd responded by booing Siraj once more. Rishabh Pant intervened to calm Siraj down.
The following day, Siraj dismissed any ill feelings, stating that nothing untoward had occurred. Both players appeared to have resolved the issue during Siraj’s time at the crease, with Head clarifying that Siraj had approached him to say the situation was a misunderstanding and that they should move on.
Rohit Sharma defended Siraj’s aggression, explaining that it motivates him to perform better. He stated there was nothing wrong with it as long as it didn’t cross the line of courtesy. India lost the second Test by 10 wickets and will face Australia in the third Test at Brisbane on December 14.