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The ICC docked 20 percent of Mohammed Siraj’s match fee for his confrontation with Travis Head during Adelaide Test.
Besides the fine, a demerit point has also been added to Mohammed Siraj’s disciplinary record. (AP Photo)
Former India offspinner Harbhajan Singh feels the International Cricket Council (ICC) is a “bit too strict” after governing authority penalised Mohammed Siraj and Travis Head for their confrontation in the recent Adelaide Test. Siraj gave an animated send-off to Head during the second day of the day-night Test which Australia went on to win by 10 wickets.
On Monday, the ICC docked 20 per cent of Siraj’s match fee besides adding a point to his disciplinary record. Head was also sanctioned for breaching ICC Code of Conduct and a demerit point was added to his disciplinary record as well.
Harbhajan says since the two players have patched up, it was better to move on from the incident.
“Well, I think ICC is a bit too strict on players,” Harbhajan told Star Sports. “These things happen in the ground. Obviously, forget what has happened and move forward. The players have patched up and talked to each other.”
“ICC being ICC has sanctioned the players. Let’s put that aside now and let’s move forward which is obviously, Brisbane. Let’s focus on cricket rather than all these controversies. Enough is enough,” he added.
Explaining his version of events, Head said Siraj reacted after he jokingly said “well bowled” and was disappointed at the exchange.
“I said ‘well bowled’ but he thought otherwise … when he pointed me to the sheds he got a little bit back from me,” Head told Fox Cricket. “I’m slightly disappointed with how that transpired, with a couple of the past innings. It is what it is. If they want to react like that and that’s how they want to represent themselves, then so be it”
Siraj though denied Head’s claim and added everybody saw what the Australian had actually said.
Meanwhile, former India head coach Ravi Shastri backed Siraj for his fiery outburst saying he expects such reaction from a fast bowler after being smoked for a six.
“I’m sure Siraj and Head are mature individuals who will deal with it and the dust would have settled already,” Shastri wrote in a column for CODE Sports. “If anything, I wouldn’t have expected anything else from a fast bowler after he’d been hit for a six. Siraj was letting off some steam. That’s the fast bowler’s temperament. You want it to be like that.”
