'Kohli, Pant, and every member of squad...': Ravi Shastri reacts to Siraj-Head row, asks India to fight fire with fire
Ravi Shastri reacted to Mohammed Siraj-Travis Head altercation in Adelaide, saying India should look to fight fire with fire.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy reached a boiling point in Adelaide as India pacer Mohammed Siraj was involved in a heated exchange with Australia middle-order batter Travis Head. The altercation between the two also led to Siraj being docked 20 per cent of his match fees. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has now weighed in on the entire controversy, urging Rohit Sharma and co to continue fighting fire with fire.
Siraj and Head had a verbal spat with the former giving a fiery send-off after dismissing Adelaide's hometown hero after he had hammered the Indian bowlers all over the ground. Both individuals gave a different version of what transpired in the middle, however, the two buried the hatchet after Australia registered a comprehensive ten-wicket win.
“I’m sure Siraj and Head are mature individuals who will deal with it and the dust would have settled already,” Shastri wrote in a column for CODE Sports.
“If anything, I wouldn’t have expected anything else from a fast bowler after he’d been hit for a six. Siraj was letting off some steam. That’s the fast bowler’s temperament. You want it to be like that. When I was playing, my philosophy was to give it back as good as you get. And it’s exactly what I would tell my players when I was coaching India in Australia. Do not hold back one bit," he added.
'Do not take a backward step'
Even though when Mohammed Siraj is receiving a lot of flak Down Under for his behaviour in Adelaide, Ravi Shastri does not want Team India to take a backward step.
Shastri who oversaw India's two series wins Down Under in 2018-19 and 2020-21, talked about how the likes of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant wanted to give it back in the previous tours in Australia and how they always were ready for a fight.
“Do not take even one backward step. It then became the team’s philosophy and everyone from Virat Kohli to Rishabh Pant and every member of the squad was prepared to give it back to the Aussies," said Shastri.
Rohit Sharma who batted in the middle-order (No.6) in Adelaide has been asked to go back to his opening position in Gabba, Brisbane for the upcoming third Test.
“What I’d like to see in Brisbane is for the captain to return to the top of the order. Opening the batting is where Rohit belongs,” Shastri said.
“They might have tried having him in the middle in Adelaide but they have to immediately go back on that plan and instead push KL Rahul down the order. You need Rohit setting the tempo at the top. That’s his best position," he added.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy currently stands on level on terms. India and Australia will now look to take the lead in the five-match series when they take the field in Brisbane on December 14.
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