With India finishing their innings 105 runs behind, they needed quick wickets with the new ball to have any chance of winning.
Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Sam Konstas in the seventh over but couldn’t make further inroads. At 23/1 after ten overs, Rohit handed the ball to Siraj, who had endured a tough first innings, conceding 122 runs without a wicket.
Siraj came in with a point to prove and immediately troubled Khawaja. The Aussie opener struggled from the start, and his laborious innings ended in the 19th over when Siraj bowled him out.
What stood out, however, was Siraj’s defiant celebration, as he raised his finger to his lips, a clear gesture of defiance. Cricket.com.au shared a video of Smith mimicking the same gesture when he replaced Khawaja at the crease.
How's the chirp out in the middle? 🤫#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Ttugiv9Dmy
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 29, 2024
The crowd wasn’t too thrilled by Siraj’s act, and chants of “DSP… DSP” echoed around the MCG. The Twitterati were quick to join in, voicing their opinions on the on-field altercation.