Umpires offered us option to leave Sydney Test midway after racial abuse from crowd, reveals Siraj
Hyderabad: India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj on Thursday revealed that on-field umpires had offered his team the option of leaving the third Test against Australia midway after he was subjected to racial abuse by the crowd in Sydney.
Siraj and his senior pace colleague Jasprit Bumrah faced racial abuse for two days at the Sydney Cricket Ground, forcing the Indian team management to lodge an official complaint with match referee David Boon. Cricket Australia later offered an unreserved apology for the incidents.
Siraj, called a "brown monkey" by some spectators, had reported the matter to skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who brought it to the notice of on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Paul Wilson during the match.
"I faced abuses in Australia. The case is going on, let's see whether I get justice or not. My job was to report the incident to the captain," the 26-year-old, who was India's highest wicket-taker with 13 scalps during the historic 2-1 series win, said during a press conference after his arrival here.
"The umpires offered us to leave the game but Rahane (bhai) said we won't leave the game. We did no mistake, so we will play," he recalled about the match that was halted for a few minutes on the fourth day and ended in a thrilling draw.
He said the unruly crowd behaviour acted as a morale-booster for him during his debut Test series.
"The abuses which I faced in Australia made me mentally stronger. I didn't let them affect my game," Siraj said.
Six spectators were expelled from the stadium after play was held up during the match. Cricket Australia has promised to the strongest possible action those found guilty.
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Bengaluru: Bommai urges govt to build consensus on internal reservation
Bengaluru: BJP MP and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai urged the state government to consult all communities and build consensus before implementing internal reservation while filling vacant posts, The New Indian Express reported
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Bommai said the government must clearly outline the procedure it intends to follow in carrying out pending recruitments. It should consult all communities and build consensus, he said, adding that the government appears to be confused.
He said that he was not aware of any formal approval or order issued by the Governor regarding internal reservation. The government must seek the advice of legal experts before moving forward.
Several communities have presented their cases before the Justice Nagamohan Das Committee, and appropriate action should be taken after examining its recommendations, he said.
On international developments, Bommai also appealed to global leaders to intervene and stop the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. He said the situation could escalate further if not addressed immediately.
The conflicts are being driven by petroleum and religious issues. The US is trying to assert control over oil resources and is not in a position to heed anyone’s advice, he said.
He pointed out that tensions are affecting regions such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, creating widespread concern as Indians reside in large numbers across these regions.
