Mohammed Siraj was fined 20 per cent of his match fees, while Travis Head was reprimanded after their quarrel during the second Test between Australia and India in Adelaide.
In addition, a demerit point was added to the disciplinary records of Siraj and Head. This was the first offence in the last 24 months for both players.
The incident occurred in the 82nd over in Australia’s first innings when Siraj bowled Head and gave him an animated send-off pointing to the Australian dressing room. Head retorted verbally before leaving the field and the umpires on the field also spoke to Siraj.
According to the ICC statement, Siraj was found guilty of violating Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which deals with ‘the use of language, actions or gestures that disparage or are likely to provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman in the event of an ejection’. Head, meanwhile, was found guilty of violating Article 2.13 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which covers ‘the abuse of a player, player support staff, umpire or match director during an international match’.
The charges were brought by on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Richard Kettleborough and fourth umpire Phillip Gillespie.
Head, who scored 140 for 141 and was one of the main reasons behind Australia’s emphatic ten-wicket win in three days, later claimed to have jokingly said ‘well bowled’ to Siraj, after which the bowler ‘pointed to the sheds and I had my reaction as well’.
Siraj, however, then claimed that it was Head who had ‘abused’ him first and that it was a lie that he had said ‘well thrown’.
‘It was a great battle [with Head] and he batted really well,’ Siraj told Star Sports Hindi before the third day of play. ‘When you get hit for a six on a good ball, it charges you in a different way. And when I threw it, I just celebrated and he insulted me and you saw it on TV as well. What he said in the press conference was not right, it’s a lie that he said ‘well pitched’ to me.’
The duo was later seen exchanging a quiet word when Siraj came out to bat during India’s second innings with Head stationed at short leg.
Both Siraj and Head admitted to their respective offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by match umpire Ranjan Madugalle and there was no need for a formal hearing.
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