Mohammed Siraj’s fiery send-off to Travis Head ignited a hostile atmosphere at the Adelaide Oval during the second Test between India and Australia on Saturday.
The Indian pacer, known for his aggressive bowling style, added fuel to the fire with his animated celebration after dismissing the Australian batter.
Head, who had earlier smashed a brilliant century in front of his home crowd, was visibly upset with Siraj’s reaction. The two exchanged words, escalating the tension on the field.
Head, who scored a brilliant 141-ball 140, played a pivotal role in helping Australia secure a commanding 157-run first-innings lead. His dismissal in the 82nd over sparked a heated exchange.
“Well, I said ‘well bowled’, but he thought otherwise when he pointed me to the sheds. Yeah, I was slightly disappointed with the way that transpired with a couple of the past innings,” Head told Fox Cricket.
“But, yeah, it is what it is if they want to react like that. And that’s how they want to represent themselves and so be it,” he added.
The incident unfolded after Siraj, having dropped the local hero on 76 earlier in the day, conceded a six to him. The Hyderabadi responded immediately, castling Head with a low full toss and celebrating animatedly, while instructing him to walk back.
The Adelaide crowd, initially cheering Head’s heroics, turned their attention to Siraj, booing him loudly. The hostile atmosphere continued throughout the over, with Siraj facing the wrath of the home fans. Even when he wasn’t bowling, the crowd continued to express their disapproval. The pacer was later seen discussing the crowd’s reaction with the umpires.
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar acknowledged the crowd’s reaction, stating, “Well, if you have given the local favourite a send-off after he scored a hundred, you are naturally going to get something back.”
“Unnecessary, if you ask me, the man’s got 140, he hasn’t got four or five or something. He got 140, you’re giving him a send-off, that’s totally uncalled for,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.
Despite the heated exchange with the Adelaide crowd, Mohammed Siraj delivered a commendable performance, finishing the day with figures of 4-98.
