Adelaide:
Sunil Gavaskar on Mohammed Siraj’s act: Team India is on the backfoot at the end of the second day of the pink-ball Test being played in Adelaide against host Australia. On the second day, Australia defeated Travis Head (Travis Head)’s super century was in the news, then after the lefty batsman’s dismissal, his clash with Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj also made equal headlines. On this, Sunil Gavaskar has described Mohammed Siraj’s farewell to Australian batsman Travis Head as “unnecessary”. Gavaskar, speaking on Star Sports, expressed his disagreement with Siraj’s actions, emphasizing the context of Head’s innings. The veteran batsman highlighted that Head played a brilliant innings, becoming a local hero with his eighth Test century and second against India and that Siraj’s over-exuberant celebration was inappropriate.
Travis Head has his say after the Mohammed Siraj altercation.
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Gavaskar said, “If you ask me, it is unnecessary. That person has scored 140 runs, he has not been out on one or two runs. You don’t bid farewell to someone who has batted brilliantly and won the hearts of the audience. Instead of becoming a hero for getting him out, Siraj has become a villain.” He suggested that Siraj’s actions cost him the chance to win the respect of the local crowd. Sunny said, “If Siraj had just got applause after that dismissal, Had he played, he would have been a hero to everyone present in the stadium. Instead, he received criticism from the audience and that is understandable.”
Former Australian opening batsman Matthew Hayden also expressed his opinion on this. He attributed Siraj’s actions to heightened emotions in the heat of the match, while Hayden defended Siraj’s intensity as a bowler. He stressed the need for decency in such circumstances.
DSP siraj arrested India’s biggest cricket criminal Travis head. #INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/a8U8Xr9gDh
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Hayden commented, “It was probably a bit of emotion and passion from Siraj, who bowled with all his heart, but when you are facing a local hero who has just scored 140, you have to show a bit of humility.” Hayden praised Head’s innings, calling it a masterclass of controlled aggression and said that Siraj missed the opportunity to show sportsmanship on the big stage.
Travis Head’s innings was the backbone of Australia’s 337 runs in the first innings. This left-handed batsman hit 17 fours and four sixes in his innings of 140 runs in 141 balls and while counterattacking, he entertained the spectators present in Adelaide a lot. On the second day, Siraj performed impressively with figures of 4-98. He was well supported by Jasprit Bumrah, who took 4 wickets for 61 runs.
