India pacer Mohammed Siraj and off-spinner Washington Sundar were reportedly targeted and abused by a section of the crowd at the Gabba stadium in Brisbane during day one of the fourth and final Test match against Australia.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Siraj was repeatedly called a “grub” by some spectators at the Gabba. The report said Sundar was also subject to abuse.
“The guys behind me have been calling–shouting–both Washington and Siraj grubs,” the paper quoted a spectator. The report further said that it was a chant similar to the SCG one (“Que Shiraz, Shiraz” to the tune of Que Sera, Sera). The spectator added that it’s not a coincidence, and Siraj was targeted “post the SCG stuff”.
However, the report said that none of the Indian players sent to field on the boundary registered a reaction to the crowd.
Previously at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out of the fourth Test due to injury, were racially abused by a few spectators during the third Test match. Siraj was allegedly called “monkey” and “brown dog” at Sydney. The fast bowler had called out the crowd behaviour then as India complained to match officials and at least six spectators were removed from the stands.
The visitors had lodged an official complaint with the International Cricket Council, which ordered a probe into the matter. Cricket Australia also apologised to the Indian players.
Australian players had condemned the abuse, with Australian skipper Tim Paine joining the Indian team’s huddle as play was halted for a few minutes following the incident.
Nathan Lyon had also applauded Siraj’s action to call out the abusers, adding that there is “no room for any racial sledges or any abuse”.
