IND vs AUS 2nd Test – “I don’t know what was the talk, but…,” Rohit Sharma on Siraj-Head incident
India captain Rohit Sharma addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the heated exchange between pacer Mohammed Siraj and Australia’s Travis Head during Day 2 of the second Test at Adelaide Oval. Speaking to the media, Sharma downplayed the incident, saying, “I don’t know what was the talk, but when two competitive teams are playing each other, these things happen. I don’t think we need to look too much on it, it’s part of the game.”
The intense moment between Siraj and Head occurred when Siraj dismissed Head after the Australian batter had scored a brilliant 140 runs off 141 balls. Siraj’s aggressive celebration, seemingly directed at the Australian dressing room, sparked a verbal exchange between the two. Head later claimed that all he said was “well bowled” to Siraj, but the Indian pacer disagreed, calling the Australian batter’s remarks untrue.
In an interview with Star Sports, Siraj responded strongly, stating that Head lied in his press conference. “I was enjoying bowling to him. It was a good battle because he batted really well. When a batter hits you for a six on a good ball, it feels bad. That gave me energy. After bowling him out, I celebrated. Then he abused me. You can see on TV as well. At the start, it was my celebration. I didn’t say anything to him. In the press conference, he said the wrong thing. He lied. No way he said ‘well bowled.’ We respect everyone. I always respect everyone because cricket is a gentleman’s game. Travis Head’s actions were wrong. I did not feel good,” Siraj explained.
However, Head, speaking to the broadcasters after Day 2’s play, stood by his statement, claiming that his words to Siraj were indeed “well-bowled,” and that the Indian pacer had misinterpreted his comment. Head added that he was disappointed by how the incident unfolded, but concluded, “If the Indian team wants to act in such a fashion, then so be it.”
Rohit Sharma’s comments suggested that while such altercations can happen in competitive cricket, the focus should remain on the game and not on off-field incidents.