BGT 2024-25: "Be prepared to give it back to the Aussies," former coach Ravi Shastri backs Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj was fined 20 percent of his match fee and handed one demerit point.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has thrown his weight behind Mohammed Siraj amid his saga with Australian batsman Travis Head during the Adelaide test.

The 2nd BGT 2024-25 test was marred by an ugly incident between Head and Siraj and by their comments following their altercation on day 2 of the match, leading to Siraj calling Head a liar. The duo did put the matter to bed when the match ended.

Siraj has been copping plenty of criticism from Australian media and even from a section of Indian fans.

Amid this, Shastri has resoundingly backed the pacer for his “fast bowler’s temperament”.

“I’m sure Siraj and Head are mature individuals who will deal with it and the dust would have settled already,” Shastri wrote in his column for Australian publication The Code.

“If anything, I wouldn’t have expected anything else from a fast bowler after he’d been hit for a six. Siraj was letting off some steam. That’s the fast bowler’s temperament. You want it to be like that.”

After taking Head’s wicket, Siraj celebrated passionately and animatedly, and gave the batsman a send-off, gesturing towards the dressing room. Head reacted as well and both exchanged some heated words.

The ICC had handed one demerit point to both the players but a 20 percent of his match fee fine was levied only on Siraj.

Give it back as good as you get: Ravi Shastri

Few coaches in the world would know how to win a test series in Australia better than Ravi Shastri, who indeed won two.

Speaking of his own experience as a player playing in Australia and then coaching the team, Shastri added, “When I was playing, my philosophy was to give it back as good as you get. And it’s exactly what I would tell my players when I was coaching India in Australia. Do not hold back one bit.

“Do not take even one backward step. It then became the team’s philosophy and everyone from Virat Kohli to Rishabh Pant and every member of the squad was prepared to give it back to the Aussies,”

The third series will be played in Brisbane for December 14. The series currently stands 1-1.

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