The issue of racism, simmering since the first day of the third India-Australia Test at Sydney Cricket Ground, boiled over on Sunday when Indian pacer Mohammad Siraj, abused constantly by a section of the crowd while fielding on the boundary line, went up and complained to his skipper Ajinkya Rahane and on-field umpires. Play was halted for 10 minutes before tea break, police called in and six people were ejected from the stadium.
The racist fans told Bumrah and Siraj, “You brown dog, go home. We don’t like you”. The two had been called “monkeys, wanker and motherf*****” on Saturday. Team India had lodged an official complaint with ICC on Saturday when both Siraj and fellow pacer Jasprit Bumrah were similarly abused. ICC is looking into the matter. Cricket Australia (CA) “unreservedly” apologised to the Indian team and launched a parallel investigation with New South Wales Police, promising to take the "strongest measures" against anyone found to have been guilty of vilification.
Kohli calls for strict action
India captain Virat Kohli, himself the victim of racial abuse on the boundary line in the past in Australia, tweeted: “Racial abuse is absolutely unacceptable. Having gone through many incidents of really pathetic things said on the boundary lines, this is the absolute peak of rowdy behaviour. It is sad to see this happen on the field. The incident needs to be looked at with absolute urgency and seriousness and strict action against offenders should set things straight for once.”
“The Indian team will move on from this incident - like possibly many such incidents that former Indian teams or other sides from the subcontinent have been subjected to on tours over the years. Whatever this culture change that they (Aussies) harping about, fact it this (sort of abuse) comes naturally to them,” said an Indian team official.
“It just doesn’t end. At airports, while leaving the hotel, inside the stadium, on the streets - somewhere you’re going to get it. It’s nobody’s fault that some nameless, insensitive and vile human is going to let his or her tongue loose. But it’ll happen and there’s no running away from it. That’s a fact,” he added.
