Border Gavaskar Trophy | Travis Head on Mohammed Siraj send-off: ‘If they want to react and represent themselves like that, so be it’ | Cricket News

Australia batter Travis Head said he was disappointed with how his dismissal transpired – both with the fiery sendoff that India pacer Mohammed Siraj gave him and his own reaction – during Day 2 of the Pink-Ball Test in Adelaide on Saturday.
Having frustrated the visitors with an enthralling hundred that pushed Australia into the first-innings lead over India, Head was batting on 140 off as many deliveries when Siraj finally knocked the left-hander out hitting the stumps. A heated exchange followed as Siraj appeared to exchange a few words and gestured Head towards the dressing room.
“I said ‘well bowled’ but he thought otherwise … when he pointed me to the sheds he got a little bit back from me,” Head told Fox Cricket after the day’s play. “I’m slightly disappointed with how that transpired, with a couple of the past innings. It is what it is. If they want to react like that and that’s how they want to represent themselves, then so be it.”
Head had a share of reprieves during his stroke-filled innings, one coming in the form of a dropped catch from Siraj while batting on 76. Siraj’s animated antics after the dismissal immediately caught the ire of Head’s hometown Adelaide crowd who booed him constantly as he returned to bowl. Head added that if Siraj wanted to rile up the crowd, then they were bound to react that way.

The end of a sensational innings! 🗣️#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/kEIlHmgNwT
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In the press conference later, Head elaborated: “I feel like the way I play the game, I would like a better reaction. I was surprised at the reaction in terms of the situation of the game. In the lead up there was no confrontation leading up to it. I felt like it was probably a little bit far at the time. That’s why I’m also disappointed in the reaction that I gave back, but I’m also going to stand up for myself.”
To a later question about the general relationship between the two sides, Head said that there was a lot of respect on the field from both sides. “The relationship has been really good, I guess that’s why I am disappointed at a couple of reactions I have gotten after being dismissed,” he said.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar was displeased with Siraj’s gesture. “Unnecessary, if you ask me. The man’s got 140, he hasn’t got four or five or something. He got 140, you’re giving him a send-off, that’s totally uncalled for,” Gavaskar said during the tea-time show on Star Sports. “No wonder he’s getting the stick from the crowd. Travis Head is a local hero and after scoring 100, if he had even just applauded, Siraj would have been a hero for the entire crowd. Instead giving him a send-off, he’s become the villain.”