‘Choose your role model wisely’: Mohammed Siraj roasted after Jasprit Bumrah bowls Travis Head for a duck
Mohammed Siraj was indirectly targeted by Mohammad Kaif after Jasprit Bumrah celebrated Travis Head's wicket with a smile in the Boxing Day Test.
Former India batter Mohammad Kaif took an indirect dig at Mohammed Siraj after Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Travis Head for a duck on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the MCG in Melbourne. Kaif gave Bumrah's example and advised the next generation to "choose the role models wisely". It was an indirect reference to the way Siraj celebrated Head's wicket in the first innings of the day-night Test in Adelaide. The Indian pacer gave an animated send-off to the Australian left-hander after clean bowling him with a low full-toss. The fact that Head had already scored a match-changing 140 before that is what irked Kaif.
I understand the celebration, but I didn't like the send-off. If you know he has a weakness, then get him out early. Get him nicking to the slips or dismiss him with a bouncer, then do your celebrations, but the guy has scored 140... there was no need for a send-off like that," Kaif had said.
Travis Head scored another century in the third Test in Brisbane. It needed a magical delivery from around the stumps that came back in sharply to stop Head in the fourth Test. Bumrah got one to come back in with the angle. Head, who expected the ball to shape away, got his stumps rattled after shouldering arms. He was out for a seven-ball duck - his first single digit score in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
What stood out in that incident for Kaif was the way Bumrah celebrated the wicket. The world's no.1 bowler spread his arms and sported a broad smile; no words, no send-off, nothing.
"How does Bumrah celebrate the dismissal of Australia's main man Travis Head? No over-the-top celebration, no angry send off, just a smile. Kids learn, choose your role models wisely," Kaif wrote on X.
Australia have slight advantage
Bumrah once again got India back in the game after debutant Sam Konstas (60), Usman Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72) and Steve Smith threatened to take the game away. Bumrah dismissed Khawaja for 57 and then got rid of Head and Mitchell Marsh (4) in quick succession in the final session of Day 1. At Stumps, Australia were 311/6 with Smith (68*) and captain Pat Cummins (8*) in the crease.
