Mohammed Siraj, the 31-year-old pace bowler from India, has been penalized for his aggressive celebration following the dismissal of England’s Ben Duckett during the ongoing third Test at Lord’s. Siraj’s actions, which included a confrontational send-off and an intense follow-through, led to a decision by match referee Richie Richardson that deemed his behavior a breach of the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct.
The moment came on the fourth day morning of the Test match when Duckett fell to an outstanding delivery from Siraj. After taking the wicket, he bowled through the aggression into Duckett’s face. There’s no doubt that this ballyhooed, audacious move made waves with players and fans alike. As Duckett walked off the field, the two players bumped arms, an innocent-looking act that only fueled their feud.
In reaction to these actions, Siraj has been fined 15% of his match fee and awarded one demerit point. With his new infraction, his total is two demerit points. He was at the centre of a similar controversy during last December’s second Test against Australia in Adelaide. An ICC rule allows for a suspension of drivers who reach four demerit points in a 24-month window—meaning Siraj could face a suspension.
Siraj’s behavior was scrutinized closely, with Richardson noting that it involved “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal.” Typically, such comments are a reminder that we should always be enforcing civility and sportsmanship between the lines.
Given that this Test series is likely to be his last, Siraj is as well advised as anyone to suppress his gamesmanship and petulance. The repercussions of additional violations would put his ability to play future games in serious uncertainty.
Leave a Reply