The Day-Night Test match between India and Australia in Adelaide turned a war ground for some moments when Mohammed Siraj and Travis Head were involved in a heated conversation on Day 2 of the game at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, December 7.
Actually, the Indian pacer found himself at the center of controversy for giving a fiery send-off to Travis Head and went on to face the rage of the Adelaide Oval crowd. After dismissing Head, Siraj’s controversial send-off to the local hero triggered a war of words, both on and off the field.
Mark Taylor slams Mohammed Siraj’s on-field behavior after the Travis Head incident
The crowd booed Mohammed Siraj relentlessly throughout Australia’s innings and didn’t spare him even when he came out to bat on Day 3 of the Pink-ball Test, which the hosts won by ten wickets to level the ongoing five-match Test series 1-1 in Adelaide on Sunday (December 8).
Now, adding fuel to the fire, former Australian captain and commentator Mark Taylor slammed Siraj’s antics, calling them “disrespectful to the game.” Taylor also expressed his frustration at Siraj’s fiery celebration and his habit of prematurely celebrating wickets without waiting for the umpire’s call.
The Aussie legend also pointed out how this habit backfired when Siraj confidently thought he had trapped Marnus Labuschagne LBW, only for the umpire to rule it out in the Adelaide Test.
Siraj’s fiery exchange with Head and his fanatical celebrations have now become a talking point among the cricket fraternity, leading Taylor to call Team India to stop the pacer from doing all the nonsense he is doing on the field.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should help Siraj: Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor was quoted as saying by the Willow Talk podcast: “I don’t know who instigated it, but it’s not a good look, particularly when a guy makes 140. I’d like to see someone have a little word with Mohammed Siraj. I like his competitive nature; he’s a fine bowler, but I don’t like the fact that when he hits a guy on the pads, he thinks he’s got him out LBW.”
The cricket pundit added, “He continues to run down the pitch, past the batsman, almost gets to the keeper, and then looks around to the umpire to see if he’s going to give it out. That’s got to stop, and if it doesn’t stop shortly, someone—and it’ll be the umpires or the match referee—might stop it for him and give him a game off. We don’t want that.”
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He also urged Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, to come forward and have a conversation with Siraj to address his temperament. Taylor signed off by saying, “Someone like a Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli needs to go up to him and say, ‘Mate, yeah, be excited, be aggressive, get in the batsman’s face, love all that, but that is disrespecting the game and the umpire.’.”
Brad Haddin warns Mohammed Siraj of Australian pacers targeting him in BGT 2024-25
On the other hand, former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin agreed with Taylor, criticizing Siraj’s send-off as a poor look. He added that both the Australian crowd and fast bowlers will remember this incident throughout the Test series.
Haddin also predicted that when Siraj comes out to bat, the Australian cricket team pacers will target him, keeping the incident in mind for the remainder of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 between Australia and India.
Haddin stated on the same podcast: “I think what we’re going to see when he comes out to bat is that these Australian quicks have got a long memory. It’s a long series. I think they’re going to go after him and remind him about what happened.”