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The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 has lived up to expectations as far as fiery exchanges between the players is concerned. India pacer Mohammed Siraj and Australia's fiery batter Travis Head clashed during the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. The incident led to Siraj facing a fine for 20 per cent match fees whereas both received one demerit point each. Following the altercation, Siraj has been criticised by several former Australian cricketers and the Australian media. Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar lauded Head but slammed those criticising Siraj.
"Siraj is getting the stick from all the “saints” in Australian cricket who, of course, were known for their impeccable behaviour on the field. It may have incensed Australian fans that Siraj’s fiery send-off was directed at Head, who scored a magnificent century and was also the local boy," wrote Gavaskar in a column for Sydney Morning Herald.
"But the same people will cheer if an Aussie quick gives a similar send-off to an English batter during next summer’s Ashes. There were some suggestions in the media that the Australians should get back to being the mongrels they once were. So, do mongrels simply purr, or do they bark, too," he added.
However, Gavaskar admitted that he was surprised to see Siraj's aggressive celebration considering the effect Indian Premier League (IPL) has had over the years improving relations between players of different nationalities.
"Siraj’s outburst was surprising because if the Indian Premier League has done one thing, apart from making Aussie cricketers and coaches millionaires, it has also taken away to a huge extent the animosity that previously existed in the game."
"Make no mistake, as we have seen in the two Test matches so far, the intensity and fierce pride of playing for one’s country has not diminished, but uncouth and ugly behaviour has been almost eradicated. Now it’s mainly the bat and the ball that do the talking, and that’s how it should be. It may no longer be a gentleman’s game, but it is still a hard game played with a hard ball by hard men. And hard men do swear when the going gets hard," he further added.
Head and Siraj's record at The Gabba
Head has a good record at the Gabba, Brisbane , scoring 352 runs from seven innings at an average of 50.28 including one century and two fifties. However, in his last two appearances at the venue, he has returned to the pavillion without scoring a run.
On the other end, the last time Siraj played at the venue, he took six wickets including a fifer in the second innings.
