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Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has described as "unnecessary" the fiery send-off Mohammed Siraj gave to Australian batter Travis Head after the pacer dismissed him for 140 on Day 2 of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval. Gavaskar, speaking on Star Sports, expressed his disapproval of Siraj's actions, emphasising the context of Head's innings. The legendary batter highlighted that Head had played a magnificent knock, becoming a local hero with his eighth Test century and second against India, and Siraj's over-the-top celebration was unwarranted.
“Unnecessary, if you ask me. The man's got 140, he hasn't got out for one or two. You don't give a send-off to someone who's batted brilliantly and won the crowd over. Instead of becoming a hero for dismissing him, Siraj has become the villain,” said Gavaskar. He suggested that Siraj's actions cost him an opportunity to win the respect of the local crowd.
“If Siraj had simply applauded Head after that dismissal, he would have been a hero for everyone in the stadium. Instead, he got the stick from the crowd, and understandably so.”
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden also weighed in, attributing Siraj's actions to emotions running high in the heat of the contest. While Hayden defended Siraj's intensity as a bowler, he pointed out the need for grace in such situations.
“It was probably just a little bit of emotion and passion from Siraj, who bowled his heart out. But when you're facing a local hero who's just made 140, you need to show some humility,” Hayden remarked.
Hayden praised Head's innings, calling it a masterclass of controlled aggression, and suggested Siraj missed an opportunity to showcase sportsmanship on a big stage.
Travis Head's innings was the backbone of Australia's first innings total of 337. The left-hander smashed 17 fours and four sixes in his 140 off 141 balls, entertaining the Adelaide crowd with a breathtaking display of counterattacking cricket.
While the focus remained on the Siraj-Head incident, the Indian pacer delivered an impressive performance with figures of 4-98. His fiery spell rattled Australia's lower order, and he was well-supported by Jasprit Bumrah, who returned figures of 4-61.