Harbhajan Singh, the previous India off-spinner, has revealed that he was racially abused by the Australian crowd on his earlier excursions Down Under after the same incident unfurled on the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
On the fourth day of the third Test between India and Australia, play was halted for a couple of minutes after pacer Mohammed Siraj complained of abuse from a bit of the group, resulting in expulsion of some spectators and an unreserved apology from the host board.
Earlier on Saturday, a spectator allegedly directed racial abuse at Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj.
Harbhajan, who was part of the notorious Monkeygate episode, tweeted concerning the difficulty on Sunday. “I personally have heard many things on the field while playing in Australia about Me My religion My colour and much more,” he wrote.
“This isn’t the first time the crowd is doing this nonsense. How do u stop them??”
I personally have heard many issues on the sector whereas taking part in in Australia about Me My faith My color and way more..This isn’t the primary time the group is doing this nonsense..How do u cease them ?? #AUSvIND
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) January 10, 2021
Back in 2008, the racism row of “Monkeygate” had rocked an India-Australia sequence in Sydney. Andrew Symonds had accused Harbhajan of racially abusing him and calling him a monkey. After a courtroom battle, Harbhajan was handed a three-Test ban however he was ultimately cleared of the cost and the ban was overturned.
Ravichandran Ashwin reiterated that this was not the primary time the Indian gamers have confronted racism in Sydney. Ashwin added, “In 2011, I didn’t know what racism is and how you are made to feel small. And people also join the laugh.”
Meanwhile, the ICC condemned racism within the Sydney Test.
“The International Cricket Council (ICC) has strongly condemned reported incidents of racism during the ongoing third Test match between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground and have offered Cricket Australia all necessary support in investigating the incidents,” the apex physique stated in a press release.
ICC chief govt Manu Sawhney reiterated the ICC’s zero-tolerance coverage in the direction of discrimination of any variety.
“There is no place for discrimination in our sport and we are incredibly disappointed that a small minority of fans may think that this abhorrent behaviour is acceptable. We will provide Cricket Australia and the relevant authorities with our full support in any ensuing investigation as we will not tolerate any racism in our sport,” he wrote.
