Gabba Test: Australian crowd gives Mohammed Siraj a nasty reminder of the send-off incident

The opening day of the Gabba Test didn't deliver thrilling action as rain played spoilsport. However, even with the limited time players had on the field, the heated India vs Australia rivalry made its presence felt. The ongoing season of the Border Gavaskar Trophy is not falling short of intense drama, as expected from the series. However, trouble seems to be mounting for Indian seamer Mohammed Siraj as the BGT progresses. Siraj might have moved past the events of the Adelaide Test, but the crowd at the Gabba was quick to remind him of his actions. While the debate surrounding the incident remains relentless, Siraj has already paid the price for his momentary expression of anger. The ICC fined him 20% of his match fees and added one demerit point to his record, the same penalty handed to Travis Head.

Gabba crowd greets Mohammed Siraj with boos following the send-off debacle in the Adelaide Test

The third match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy commenced with Indian captain Rohit Sharma opting to bowl first at the Gabba. The teams took the field under overcast conditions, trying to squeeze in as much game time as possible amidst the heavy cloud cover. Meanwhile, the Gabba crowd matched the dark atmosphere with their troubling chatter. After Jasprit Bumrah kicked off the proceedings, Mohammed Siraj took the new ball to continue the attack.

As soon as the seamer took the pitch, the Gabba crowd turned hostile, with boos for Siraj echoing across the stands. While such reactions are not ruled out of the capabilities of the Australian crowd, the Indian seamer seemed visibly unsettled by the treatment he received. The response was tied to an incident that unfolded between Siraj and Travis Head during the Adelaide Test. Siraj eventually dismissed Head, hitting the timber, but only after the Australian had cruised to a mammoth 140 off 141 balls, denting India's chances in the match. Despite the batter's dominating innings, Siraj celebrated the wicket exuberantly, leading to a heated stand-off between the two players as words were exchanged.

Following the day’s play, Travis Head slyly downplayed his involvement, claiming he only said "well bowled" to Siraj. The batter then shifted the blame, suggesting Siraj had misunderstood the interaction, sparking the spat. Siraj, on the other hand, refuted Head’s claim, maintaining that their conversation on the Adelaide turf had everything but "well bowled". The heated send-off incident led the ICC to sanction both players. Travis Head and Mohammed Siraj each received one demerit point, while Siraj faced an additional penalty with the ICC docking 20% of his match fees.

As it stands now, Siraj's sanction is not enough for the seamer to avoid the consequences further ahead. The nasty chatter has followed him to the Gabba Test where the contest commenced under the heavy cloud cover. The whole Australian fraternity has picked up the stick against Siraj, painting a "holier than thou" picture of their players. It's a player's word against another, but what went down between Head and Siraj is up for several interpretations. However, to treat a single player this harshly doesn't reflect well on the Aussies who have displayed several questionable episodes throughout the cricketing history themselves. Not to forget, this incident by Siraj still lies well behind the infamous sandpaper gate on the spectrum.