Author: Sarita Jena

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between Australia and India is heating up, and it’s getting a lot of attention. In Adelaide, there was a heated moment between Australian player Travis Head and Indian bowler Mohammed Siraj. After Siraj got Head out, he celebrated passionately, which upset the crowd who then booed him. Even though Australia won the match and evened the series, everyone was talking about this clash.

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar understood why Siraj acted that way after taking Head’s wicket. He mentioned that fast bowlers often get really fired up in tense moments. Siraj’s fiery celebration wasn’t liked by the audience, and they showed their displeasure loudly.

On Day 1 of the next Test match at the Gabba in Brisbane, Siraj faced more boos from the crowd, and it seemed to bother him. Gavaskar pointed out that while Siraj’s actions might seem intense, Australia’s public has its double standards. He noted that Australian fans often cheer when their players act aggressively, but they boo foreign players for doing the same.

Gavaskar also expressed surprise at Siraj’s reaction, suggesting that with the Indian Premier League (IPL) making players rich, some rivalries have softened over time. He emphasized that cricket still involves high intensity and passion but without the ugly behavior that used to be common. According to him, players should leave the ugly fights behind and focus on the game instead.

India’s fast bowler, Mohammed Siraj, faced loud boos from Australian fans in Brisbane during the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India won the toss for the third time in a row but chose to bowl first this time. Jasprit Bumrah started strong with a great first over against Usman Khawaja, while Siraj also had the new ball. However, every time Siraj ran to bowl, the crowd loudly booed him.

The boos began during the second Test in Adelaide when Siraj celebrated aggressively after getting local player Travis Head out after he scored an impressive 140 runs. There were different stories from both players about what happened. While Head praised Siraj, Siraj felt disrespected. The ICC took action and docked Siraj 20% of his match fees, but Head only got a demerit point.

India made two changes in their lineup after losing by 10 wickets in the previous Test. Ravindra Jadeja came in for spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, and Akash Deep replaced struggling bowler Harshit Rana. Australia made one change, bringing in Josh Hazlewood for Scott Boland after his injury.

Despite his recent struggles with the bat, Rohit Sharma will continue to bat at number six in the lineup, along with opening pair KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal. As the five-match series stands at 1-1, the Gabba pitch appeared green and soft, hinting at a challenge for Australia’s batsmen. Rohit mentioned that the Indian team was very excited and looking forward to performing well in the match.

Australia’s captain Pat Cummins was unsure what he would have chosen if he won the toss, but was excited about the sold-out crowd at the Gabba.

Australia’s Playing XI: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (w), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

India’s Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (w), Rohit Sharma (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.