After Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was allegedly racially abused during the third Test by Australian crowd in Sydney, the 26-year-old has been reportedly called a ‘grub’ at The Gabba during the ongoing fourth match.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, a spectator named Kate, who was seated in the stand at sections 215 and 216, informed about the incident.
“The guys behind me have been calling – shouting – both Washington (Sunder) and Siraj grubs. (They) targeted Siraj and it was a chant similar to the SCG one. I suspect it’s not a coincidence that it’s Siraj being targeted post the SCG stuff,” she said.
On Day 4 of the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Sunday, Siraj and fellow-pacer Jasprit Bumrah had been allegedly racially abused by a group of unruly spectators.
Siraj had complained of racial abuse from Australian spectators at the Sydney Cricket Ground during the fourth Test’s third and fourth day.
At least six spectators were removed from the Sydney Cricket Ground stands by the security officials after he had raised concerns on Day 4 to skipper Ajinkya Rahane.
The incident happened before the start of the 86th over in Australia’s second innings on Sunday when Siraj, fielding on the boundary line, went to skipper Ajinkya Rahane and raised the issue that some fans were passing abusive comments directed at him.
Rahane then walked up to the square leg umpire Paul Reiffel and complained about the same. While players huddled in the centre, security personnel entered the stands and a group of six Australian fans were removed from their seats by New South Wales Police.
On third day, Indian team management had apparently alleged that Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj were racially abused by SCG the crowd.
A report carried by Australian newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, stated, “It’s understood Indian officials say the pair have been abused by members of the public for the past two days, and believe the abuse has been racist in nature… amid suggestions a crowd member at the Randwick end of the ground abused Siraj who was fielding at fine leg at the time.”