Published: Dec 31, 2024, 10:31 AM (IST)
Edited: Dec 31, 2024, 10:32 AM (IST)
Australia all-rounder Travis Head got a serious breakthrough on the last day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), as he was continuing to turn out as an issue for India. After dismissing Rishabh Pant in the final session, Head’s celebration turned out to be a magnet and brought a lot of focus from the cricket community. Travis lured Pant into a long areal pull shot, which got caught by Mitchell March.
This was when he did the offensive celebration, as he pointed one finger to his other hand which was somewhat forming a circle. Initially, a lot of people criticised this behaviour before Cummins and the broadcasters could explain it.
“Oh, sorry! Yes, okay! I can explain that. His finger is so hot, that he is going to put it in a cup of ice. Yes, that’s what it is. That’s normally the running joke. Was it at the Gabba or somewhere, where he got a wicket as well and just got straight to the fridge, grabs a bucket of ice, puts his finger in and just walks in front of Lyno (Nathan Lyon). Just like that, thinks its very funny. So that’s what it would have been, nothing else,” Par Cummins said in the post-match conference.
Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu was massively disappointed with this celebration, and called it ‘obnoxious’ behaviour. He has also made request for a massive punishment for Head, since he believed that the gesture by the Australian bowler was not an insult to an individual but to the whole nation.
“Travis head’s obnoxious behaviour during the course of the Melbourne test doesn’t auger well for for the gentleman’s game…… sets the worst possible example when there are kids, women , young & old watching the game……. this caustic conduct did not insult an individual but a nation of 1.5 billion Indians……stringent punishment that would serve a deterrent for the future generations needs to be slapped on him so that no one dares follow suit,” Sidhu wrote on X formerly known as Twitter.
Australia won the Boxing-Day Test by 184 runs, and will now be entering the Sydney for the final Test of the five-match Test series with a 2-1 lead. They have a high chance of winning this series and secure their place in the finals of the World Test Championship.
