NEW DELHI: India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj broke his silence and addressed the controversy surrounding his send-off to Australian batsman Travis Head during Day 2 of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval.
A viral social media video captured the heated exchange between Siraj and Head following the latter’s dismissal on Saturday.
While Head shared his side of the story during the post-day media interaction, Siraj responded before play began on Day 3.During the press briefing at the end of Day 2, Head suggested that Siraj’s aggressive reaction was unnecessary, claiming he had actually complimented the delivery.
However, Siraj firmly rejected Head’s explanation, calling it untrue.
In a conversation with former India spinner Harbhajan Singh, Siraj said: “It was a great battle going on (with Head) and he batted really well. When you get hit for a six on a good ball, it fires you up differently. And when I got him bowled, I only 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 only 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,” he added.
Later, Head, who scored 140 runs off 141 balls, including 17 fours and 4 sixes, taking the team’s total to 377, admitted that things had escalated a bit too far.
“I actually jokingly said ‘well bowled’, then he pointed me in the sheds and I had my reaction as well. I don’t want to give it too much airtime. I feel like the way I play the game I would like a better reaction. I was surprised at the reaction in terms of the situation of the game and the lead-up. There was no confrontation leading up to it,” he said.
“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,” he concluded.