‘We need an iron fist to deal with nasty abuse’
INDIA’S Ravichandran Ashwin has called for authorities to act with an ‘iron fist’ after team-mate Mohammed Siraj suffered alleged racial abuse on day four of the third Test with Australia.
Cricket Australia is investigating the allegations after six spectators were ejected from the Sydney Cricket Ground, with play held up for almost ten minutes.
The action came after seamer Siraj complained to the umpires and pointed to a section of the crowd near where he had been fielding at fine leg yesterday.
Indian officials had already told officials after the third day’s play Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah had been among players subjected to abuse – some of it racist – even though the ground was at 25 per cent capacity due to Covid-19.
‘They have been quite nasty, they have been hurling abuse as well, but this is the time they have gone one step ahead and used racial abuse,’ Ashwin said.
‘There was an official complaint lodged yesterday, and the umpires [said] we must bring it to their notice as soon as it happens, on the field, and then they will be able to take action.
‘It is definitely not acceptable in this day and age. We have seen a lot, right? We have evolved as a society. This must be definitely dealt with an iron fist.
‘We must make sure that it doesn’t happen again.
‘Personally I think Adelaide and Melbourne weren’t as bad. But this has been a continuous thing at Sydney. I have experienced it as well. They do tend to get nasty. I don’t know why.
‘Unless and until it is dealt with, people don’t find the reason to look at it in a different way. I was quite surprised that some sections of the crowd continuously did it and there were no mates around them to pull them up for it.
‘It definitely had to be dealt with. Disappointing is a very, very mild word, I must say.’
Sean Carroll, Cricket Australia’s head of integrity and security, said: ‘The abuse of cricketers by crowd members is not acceptable.
‘We thank the Indian team for their vigilance in reporting today’s incident which we are now investigating. As hosts, we once again apologise to the Indian team.’