Published 21:57 IST, January 10th 2021
Aakash Chopra bats for eradication of racism after pacer Siraj was subjected to it twice
Aakash Chopra condemned racial abuse and said that it has no place in the world and needs to be completely eradicated after Siraj was subjected to it twice
- SportFit
- 2 min read
Cricket pundit Aakash Chopra came forward in support of Team India's frontline pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj after the duo was subjected to racial abuse by a section of the unruly crowd in the ongoing third Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The cricketer-turned-commentator/analyst backed Siraj after he was once again abused racially during Australia's second innings on Sunday due to which play was reportedly halted for a while.
'Racism has no place in the world': Aakash Chopra
Taking to the micro-blogging site, Chopra wrote that racism has no place in the world and the fact that one has to say this in the current year i.e. 2021 proves that people have not done enough to eradicate the menace. Furthermore, the former Indian Test opener added that he is expecting Cricket Australia (CA) to investigate and punish the guilty.
Siraj once again abused by the Australian crowd
Speedster Mohammed Siraj had complained of being subjected to racial abuses yet again on Day Four of the third Test. At the end of the 85th over of Australia's second innings, Siraj walked up to the umpires along with stand-in Test captain Ajinkya Rahane to report the incident following which the police asked the spectators responsible to leave the stand. Siraj was subjected to racism from the spectators at the SCG while he was standing at the boundary rope after completing the 85th over.
As per sources, four spectators were reportedly asked to move back and sit further up the stands after the Indian team complained to the umpires.
This was the second such incident after a similar one was reported by the Indian team on Saturday i.e. on Day 3 of the ongoing Test match.
Cricket Australia issues statement on racism in ongoing SCG Test
“Cricket Australia has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy towards discriminatory behaviour in all forms following the alleged racial abuse of members of the Indian cricket squad by a section of the crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday,” read the statement.
Updated 21:57 IST, January 10th 2021