Mohammed Siraj Fined for Aggressive Send-Off to Travis Head During Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has been fined 20 percent of his match fee for his aggressive behavior towards Australian batter Travis Head during the second Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Adelaide Oval.
The incident occurred on Day Two, when Siraj dismissed Head with a stunning in-swinging yorker on the fourth ball of the 82nd over. Following the dismissal, Siraj gave Head a fiery send-off, gesturing aggressively as the batter walked off the field. A brief verbal exchange ensued between the two players, but they reconciled during India’s second innings when Siraj came out to bat.
Despite the reconciliation, Siraj faced boos from the Adelaide crowd every time he fielded in the deep or bowled, as spectators expressed their displeasure with the pacer’s conduct. Head, who scored an impressive 140 runs in the match and was named Player of the Match, received support from the crowd, who continued to jeer Siraj throughout the remainder of the game.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Monday that Siraj had been penalized after being found guilty of breaching Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. This article relates to “using language, actions, or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon dismissal.”
The ICC also announced that Travis Head had been sanctioned for violating Article 2.13 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which addresses the “abuse of a player, player support personnel, umpire, or match referee during an international match.” Both Siraj and Head received one demerit point each on their disciplinary records, marking their first offence in the last 24 months.
The duo accepted the sanctions proposed by Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle, with no formal hearing required. The charges were laid by the on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Richard Kettleborough, and fourth umpire Phillip Gillespie. Level 1 breaches typically carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 percent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
With the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series now tied 1-1, India and Australia will face off in the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, starting December 14.
