Mohammed Siraj has broken his silence after both he and Travis Head were sanctioned by the ICC after the pair were involved in a heated exchange during the Adelaide Test.
Australia claimed a 10-wicket victory thanks to Head’s exceptional innings, with the South Australian batter dazzling his home fans, whacking 140 runs off 141 balls, to help Pat Cummins’ side level the series.
Perhaps one of the biggest talking points of the match came after he was dismissed by Siraj with a full delivery. The Indian bowler subsequently gave the Aussie batsman a send-off, which Head appeared to not take kindly too, sharing a few choice words with his opponent.
A lip reader has revealed that Head used the term ‘F*** you ****’ as he walked from the crease, according to News.com.au.
Siraj has subsequently accused Head of abusing him and lying after Head had claimed in his post-match presser that he had said ‘well bowled’ to the Indian firebrand, after Siraj had knocked his stumps over.
Despite their claims, the pair have now both been found guilty by the ICC of breaching their code of conduct, with Siraj being docked 20 per cent of his match fee.
Mohammed Siraj (pictured) has broken his silence after he was sanctioned following his heated spat with Travis Head
The pair have been handed a demerit point by the ICC, with Siraj copping a match fine
He was sanctioned under article 2.5 of the code, relating to ‘using language, actions or gestures which disparage or could provoke aggressive reactions from a batter upon dismissal.
One demerit point was also added to the India star’s disciplinary record. Should a player reach four or more demerit points within a two-year period, they will be converted to suspension points, which can lead to bans. It was his first offence in the past 24 months.
But he didn’t seem overly fussed by the penalties, though.
‘Yeah man, it’s all good,’ he said when asked about the fine, which will equate to around $16,500.
Pressed further on whether he was upset by the decision, Siraj said: ‘I am going to the gym now.’
Head, meanwhile, was deemed to have breached article 2.13 of the code, relating to the ‘abuse of a player, player support personnel, umpire or match referee’. He too has copped a demerit point, with both stars understood to have accepted the sanctions.
‘Siraj and Head admitted their respective offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing,’ the ICC said.
Following the confrontation, India cricketing great Ravi Shastri, who scored 3,830 runs and took 151 wickets during his Test career before leading India in two victorious tours of Australia between 2017 and 2021 as the side’s coach, has offered a surprising take on the matter.
Despite their heated altercation on the pitch, the pair both hugged and shooked hands at the end of the match
Cricket great Ravi Shastri has claimed that the pair’s heated exchange was a good thing, adding you want your fast bowlers to show a bit of needle
‘I’m sure Siraj and Head are mature individuals who will deal with it and the dust would have settled already,’ he told Code Sports.
‘If anything, I wouldn’t have expected anything else from a fast bowler after he’d been hit for a six. Siraj was letting off some steam. That’s the fast bowler’s temperament.
‘You want it to be like that. When I was playing, my philosophy was to give it back as good as you get.
‘And it’s exactly what I would tell my players when I was coaching India in Australia. Do not hold back one bit.’
Despite that, Shastri has urged India to not take a backward step against the Aussies in Brisbane this week.
‘Do not take even one backward step,’ he added.
‘It then became the team’s philosophy and everyone from Virat Kohli to Rishabh Pant and every member of the squad was prepared to give it back to the Aussies.’
