‘Not how I’d like to play the game’: Aussie hero reveals truth behind fiery Test send-off

Australian star Travis Head has declared he will always stand up for himself after Mohammed Siraj’s feisty send off saw tempers threaten to boil over at Adelaide Oval.

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Siraj, the man to drop Head while in the 70s earlier on Saturday on the way to his century, gave the Aussie a mouthful as he departed the crease for a well-made 140.

The Indian star could be seen telling Head to “get off” – among a few other words – while aggressively gesturing to the stands. Having a crack at a local hero angered the Adelaide crowd, which repeatedly booed Siraj as Australia seized complete control of the Test.

In an interview with Fox Cricket immediately after stumps, with India 5-128 and still needing another 29 runs to make Australia bat again in Adelaide, Head said he was disappointed with what had unfolded.

“I said, ‘Well bowled,’ but he thought otherwise when he pointed me towards the sheds. He got a little bite back from me,” Head recalled.

“Slightly disappointed with the way that transpired.

“It is what it is. If they want to react like that, and if that’s how they want to represent themselves, then so be it.”

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He elaborated further in a press conference to discuss his sparkling 140, which is his third Test century in succession at Adelaide Oval and one that saw him surpass Ian Chappell to become the most successful South Australian-born performer at their home ground.

Head said that while he was disappointed he had responded to Siraj’s send-off, it was not the first time this series something had occurred which he believed transgressed an accepted boundary.

“I don’t want to give it too much air time but I feel like the way I play the game, I would have liked a better reaction,” he said.

“I was surprised at the reaction in terms of situation of the game and the lead up. There was no confrontation leading up to him and I felt like it was probably, yeah, a little bit far at the time, and that’s why I’m disappointed in the reaction that I gave back.

“But I’m also going to stand up for myself. I’d like to think in our team that we wouldn’t do that. It’s not how I’d like to play the game, and I feel like my teammates are the same. And if I had seen that in that circumstances, I’d probably call it out, which I did.”

Quizzed as to whether it was the first incident in the series to raise his eyebrows, Head said he had spoken to “individuals around that”.

“There’s been conversations I’ve had (and) I’ll leave those conversations that I’ve had with the individuals around that,” he said.

“Like I said, I feel like the way I would like to play the game, and I guess the respect shown by myself and I hope my teammates — I feel like I’d hold a high expectation of my teammates as well and the way we conduct ourselves and the way we go about things — and I can’t speak much for India, but like I said, I’m going to call that in certain situations.

“I’ve had conversations with guys this series about that. I feel like you can play hard and play fair, but obviously when you’re out, (you) can’t do much about it. I’m disappointed with the reaction I had after that, but certainly I stand up for myself.”

Head, who is a star in the Indian Premier League, does not believe the altercation at Adelaide Oval will change the relationships between two sides likely to arrive in Brisbane later this week with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squared given Australia’s dominant position.

“I feel like the game’s moved (beyond past rivalries) and the way I play the game is (that) I’m there to have a good time,” he said.

“I want to enjoy myself. I want to play hard, play fair, and I have a joke on the field. And I know that we’re competing hard, but I can have a laugh at the same time.

“Then to get the reaction that I did off the back of that, I’d almost rather it was the other way. I’d rather them try and tear shreds off me and then give it to me, but I feel like (from) the lead up, it was out of nowhere.

“But I think the relationship is fine. I think both teams respect each other. Our dressing room definitely has a lot of respect for the opposition and the blokes that are playing in that dressing room are very high quality. They are playing hard and but, yeah, I would say the relationship is fine.”

Former South African fast bowler Morne Morkel, who is India’s bowling coach, said he expected Head and Siraj would be fine at the completion of the Test.

“No matter what the score board says, I think in a big series like this, we’re always going to have moments like this where — I wouldn’t say it is a make or break sort of situation — but when we win a session or the game is potentially … on the line, (there) will be moments like that,” he said.

“And they are two cricketers who play the game hard, they play the game tough, but I’m pretty sure after the game they will be the best of mates.”

Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee, meanwhile, told foxsports.com.au he did not mind the interaction between the two stars, while David Warner said in commentary it set the tone for the rest of the series.

“Mohammed Siraj is your typical fast bowler with a massive heart, and he steams in and all that stuff with (Head), you know, there was a couple of people who I walked past in the corridor saying, ‘Oh, why is he spraying Travis Head when he makes 140 odd?’” Lee said.

“Well, it’s passion. You are playing for your country. I said that anyone who has had the pleasure or the honour of taking a Test wicket … it is the best feeling the world.

“You don’t know when you will take your last wicket. Yeah, there’s a line of sand that you know you can’t cross, but it’s healthy for the game. As long as no-one’s over-excessive with swearing, or definitely no racial vilification, then there’s nothing wrong with having a bit of a chirp.”

Fox Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle said it felt like both players were involved in the interaction.

“It’s added a little bit of spice. (There) might have been words in the other direction too, you know. I think there were two in the game,” he said.

Commentator Kerry O’Keeffe didn’t think the send off was warranted by Siraj, given the innings Head played. He later described the Indian star’s actions as a “villainous performance”.

“I don’t know whether a send off is valid when a guy’s got 140!” he said.

“(But) he’s a proud competitor Siraj, isn’t he? He threatened to do this throughout the First Test. (The) umpires may have had a word (about his behaviour).”

Siraj is no stranger to controversy in Australia, after he was targeted by the crowd in Sydney during India’s last Test tour.

Play had to be stopped in that 2021 Test match after Siraj claimed he was racially abused.

After the Head dismissal on Saturday, Siraj once again cemented himself as public enemy number one this Border Gavaskar Trophy tour in a move that could backfire, Warner has warned.

“It was quite verbal there,” he said.

“There is a flow on from that as well – still got the Gabba, Sydney, Melbourne (Tests to come). He had trouble last time.

“That’s what happens in Australia – if you want to start dishing it out, you’ve got 40,000-odd people that are going to be behind the guys.

“(It) wouldn’t be a Border-Gavaskar Trophy without (the aggression) would there?”