India fast bowler contradicts Australian batters comments from press conference
India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has claimed that it was Travis Head who “abused” him first during their altercation on the second day of the Adelaide Test.
“It was a great battle going on [with Head] and he batted really well,” Siraj told Star Sports Hindi before the third day’s play. “When you get hit for a six on a good ball, it fires you up differently. And when I bowled him, I just celebrated and he abused me and you saw that on TV too. I only celebrated at the start, I didn’t say anything to him. What he said in the press conference wasn’t right, it’s a lie that he said ‘well bowled’ to me. It’s there for everyone to see that that’s not what he said to me.
“We respect everyone, it’s not like we disrespect other players. I respect everybody because cricket is a gentleman’s game, but what he did wasn’t right. I didn’t like it at all.”
By the end of the Test on Sunday, however, both captains and the players sought to play down and move on from the incident, with Siraj and Head seen embracing at the end of the game.
The incident had occurred when Siraj bowled Head for 140, a ball after getting hit for six, and celebrated animatedly. There was a send-off from the bowler and some words said by Head, which weren’t very clear on the broadcast.
Head had said in the press conference after the second day that he had jokingly said “well bowled” to Siraj after his dismissal. “It probably [went] a little bit far, that’s why I’m disappointed in the reaction I gave back but I’m also going to stand up for myself. Like to think in our team we wouldn’t do that. [It’s] not the way I’d like to play the game and feel like my team-mates are the same. If I see that, I probably call it out, which I did.”
Speaking to SEN radio before the third day’s play, Head said: “No one really wants to see that in the game. I feel like both teams can probably represent themselves a little bit better and respect each a little bit more in those situations, and we move on.”
India captain Rohit Sharma played down the incident at the press conference after the game. “I was standing at the slips, I don’t know what was exchanged but two competitive teams are going at each other. These things happen,” he said. “Travis was batting well, obviously our plan was to get him out. And on the other side, Travis wanted to try and put our bowlers under pressure. And we got the wicket, he celebrated it. There were obviously a few words changed within the two of them. I exactly don’t know what was said because my job is not just to look at that one incident, I am focused on the overall picture or the overall Test match. But again, I don’t think we can look too much into that. When India and Australia always play, these things happen and these are now just part of the game.”
Rohit, however, said it was his job to back Siraj’s aggression. “Yeah, I mean he likes to get into the battle, as simple as that. It gives him success. And as a captain it’s my job to back that aggression. Obviously there is a fine line between that. We don’t want to cross anything that can bring dispute into the game. But obviously having a word or two with the opposition is not a bad thing and he likes it. And that’s what gets him going. In the past we have seen so many cricketers who like that battle and Siraj is definitely one of them. But again like I said, there is a thin line between getting aggressive and getting too aggressive and crossing that line. Obviously as a captain it is also my responsibility to make sure that we don’t cross the line. But yeah, a word or two here and there I don’t think makes a huge difference.”
Australia captain Pat Cummins said he was happy with his team’s behaviour. “Look, it’s heated. It’s a big series. You know, it’s been packed crowds all the days. So there’s a lot riding on it. Yeah, I think the umpire stepped in pretty quickly and that was the end of it … To be honest, you know, they [India] can do whatever they want. More worried about our boys. And like always, I thought our boys’ behaviour was excellent this week. Like it seems to be every week. So happy with them.”