"Siraj should be fined" - Michael Clarke slams Indian pacer after 2nd BGT 2024-25 Test
Former Australian captain Michael Clarke slammed Mohammed Siraj for his repeated 'celebrappeals' during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, calling on the ICC to fine the Indian pacer. The 30-year-old has notoriously celebrated for lbw shouts without turning back to the umpire in the first two Australia Tests.
Siraj has been making the headlines for hurling the ball in frustration at Marnus Labuschagne and a fiery send-off to Travis Head during the second Test at Adelaide.
However, Clarke had a bigger issue with Siraj's 'celebrappeals' than the mouthful he gave after dismissing Head.
He told the Sky Sports Radio's Big Sports Breakfast:
"Siraj should be fined for keeping on appealing for lbws and not asking the umpire. He hits the batter on the pads and just runs down like they're out. I'm surprised the ICC haven't fined him because I remember when I was playing, you get fined every time. I'm more worried about that from Siraj than him and Travis Head. You're OK to appeal for anything you want, but you've got to turn around and ask the umpire."
Despite his antics, Siraj has impressed with the ball over the first two Tests, picking up 9 wickets at an average of 19.77.
"Someone like Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli needs to go up to him" - Mark Taylor
Another former Australian captain Mark Taylor felt senior players like Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli should talk to Mohammed Siraj on running down the pitch without appealing for LBWs.
The 30-year-old was visibly frustrated throughout his bowling stint in the Adelaide Test but eventually finished with excellent figures of 4/98 in the first innings.
Taylor said on Willow Talk:
"I'd like to see someone have a little word to Mohammed Siraj. Someone like a Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli needs to go up to him ... [because] that is disrespecting the game and the umpire. I like his competitive nature. He's a fine bowler."
"But I'd like someone to have a word with him because I don't like the fact that when he hits a guy on the pads, and he thinks he's got him out lbw, 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 who might stop it for him, and give him a game off ... we don't want that," he added.
Siraj was booed by the Adelaide crowd when walking out to bat in India's second innings for his altercation with Head.
The high-octane five-Test series is tied at 1-1 with the third Test set to be played in Brisbane, starting Saturday, December 14.