"Do mongrels simply purr, or do they bark, too?" - Indian legend calls out Mohammed Siraj's criticism ahead of BGT 2024-25 3rd Test
India legend Sunil Gavaskar has slammed Australia's cricket experts and fans for their criticism of pacer Mohammed Siraj ahead of the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test that began in Brisbane on Saturday, December 14. Siraj has been in the headlines following his outburst at Aussie batter Travis Head during the second Test in Adelaide.
Head frustrated the Indian bowlers with a breathtaking 140 to take the game away from the visitors. Siraj finally cleaned him with an excellent yorker and gave him a fierce send-off, much to the Adelaide crowd's anger. The crowd heavily booed him for the rest of the contest and several experts have since criticized Siraj's actions.
However, Gavaskar has come to his defense and alleged the Australians for their hypocrisy in his column for The Sydney Morning Herald.
"Siraj is getting the stick from all the “saints” in Australian cricket who, of course, were known for their impeccable behaviour on the field. 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?," Gavaskar wrote.
Siraj and Head were found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct, with the former fined 20 percent of his match fee. One demerit point was added to the duo's disciplinary record following the Adelaide Test which Australia won by 10 wickets to level the series at 1-1.
"Siraj’s outburst was surprising" - Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar found Mohammed Siraj's outburst towards Travis Head in the Adelaide Test 'surprising,' considering the reduced animosity between opposition players in the modern era due to the IPL.
Indian and Australian players have historically gone much harder at each other during their intense battles but the force has substantially reduced in recent meetings.
"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," Gavaskar wrote in the same column.
Gavaskar hailed both teams' competitive yet non-combustive attitude in the ongoing series.
"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 behavior has been almost eradicated. Now it’s mainly the bat and the ball that do the talking, and that’s how it should be," Gavaskar concluded.
With the five-match series tied at 1-1, India won a third consecutive toss and elected to bowl first on an overcast first morning of the third Test in Brisbane.
However, the hosts weathered the early storm to reach 28/0 in 13.2 overs at the end of a rain-shortned first session.