India pacer Mohammed Siraj has opened up on going through racial abuse through the third Test in Sydney on India’s tour of Australia.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Mar 13, 2023 12:15 IST
Mohammed Siraj remembers racist slur throughout Sydney Test vs Australia (AP Photo)
By India Today Sports Desk: India pacer Mohammed Siraj has recalled going through racist slurs through the third Test in Australia, saying that on-field umpires had supplied his group the choice of leaving the third Test towards Australia halfway after he was subjected to racial abuse by the gang in Sydney.
Siraj and his senior tempo colleague Jasprit Bumrah had been subjected to racial abuse, prompting the Indian group administration to file an official grievance with match referee David Boon. Cricket Australia later apologised unequivocally for the incident. Some spectators referred to Siraj as a “brown monkey” after he reported the incident to skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who introduced it to the eye of on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Paul Wilson through the match.
“When I was called a black monkey and things like that in Australia, I ignored them on the first day, thinking the people were drunk. But when it happened on the second day, I decided to go up to the umpires and complain about racism and I conveyed it to Ajju bhai (Ajinkya Rahane) who went to the umpires,” Siraj stated whereas talking on RCB Season 2 Podcast.
Six spectators had been ejected from the stadium after the sport was halted. Siraj went straight to the cemetery after touchdown in Hyderabad to pay his respects to his father, who died two months in the past whereas the pacer was in Australia. Siraj was given the choice of returning dwelling, however he selected to stay.
“So, the umpires told him you are free to leave the ground till the matter is settled. But Ajju bhai said: ‘We respect cricket and why should we leave the ground? But remove those people who are abusive and why should we leave the ground? We then focused on cricket as people would keep saying all these things,” Siraj added.
Published On:
Mar 13, 2023
