India captain Rohit Sharma has warned Mohammed Siraj against being "too aggressive" amid a backlash against the fast bowler for giving Australia's Travis Head a send-off during the Adelaide Test.
Siraj was involved in a fiery altercation with Head on day two. The incident happened when the fast bowler dismissed the Australia batter after being plundered for a four and a six in the second over with the second new ball. Siraj’s aggressive response divided opinions, with Head later saying the reaction from the fast bowler went "a little bit far". He claimed he had simply said "well bowled" to Siraj after being dismissed, with the quick then reacting. Former cricketers, including ex-Australia captain Mark Taylor, criticised Siraj "for disrespecting the game and the umpire".
However, the fast bowler denied Head's claim, accusing Head of lying and further stating that it was the Australian who "abused" him first.
In the wake of India’s ten-wicket defeat in the day-night match, Rohit opened up about the day two exchange, saying such things are part and parcel of the game. At the same time, he acknowledged there is a "thin line between being aggressive and crossing the limit".
"Yeah, he likes to get into the battle. It gives him success. As the captain, it's my job to back that aggression. Obviously, there's a fine line. We don't want to cross anything that disrespects the game. But having a word or two with the opposition is not a bad thing. He likes it, and it gets him going. In the past, we've seen many cricketers thrive in such battles, and Siraj is definitely one of them," Rohit said in the press conference.
He added: "That said, there's a thin line between being aggressive and crossing the limit. As captain, it's my responsibility to ensure we don't cross that line. A word or two here and there doesn't make a huge difference."
Siraj was booed for the remainder of the match. He was given a jeering welcome when he came out to bat at No.11 with India teetering at 166-9 in pursuit of recovering from a 157-run first-innings deficit. Head, standing at short leg was seen chatting with him and could be heard clarifying that the events that transpired were "nothing personal". Coincidentally, Head caught Siraj, who was the last wicket to fall during India’s loss.
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