Australia’s Test captain Tim Paine on Monday (January 11) opened up about his heart-winning act of joining the Indian Cricket Team huddle after Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah subjected to racial abuse by Sydney fans in the recently concluded Pink Test at the SCG.
A section of Australian fans racially abused the Indian cricketers over the second and third day of the Sydney Test, leading to the expulsion of six spectators and Team India to file an official complaint of racial abuse including with ICC while Cricket Australia issued an unreserved apology to the tourists.
Well, the crowd did not stop on day 4 of the third Test as Siraj once again became the target of the unruly behavior of the SCG crowd as India captain Ajinkya Rahane and the bowled had a word with umpire Paul Reiffel while Paine was on the crease at that time.
It led to a suspension of the play for a brief time and Paine won the hearts by joining the Indian team huddle on Sunday.
After the end of the Pink Test, the Australian captain said CA and his team did not condone any kind of racial abuse and it was disappointing to see that happen at SCG, thus, he joined the tourists to “make sure that they knew that the hosts were with them against the racial abuse”.
Paine said during the post-match press conference: “I think it's bitterly disappointing. Cricket Australia and the Australian cricket team, we don't condone any sort of abuse, particularly racial abuse.”
The wicket-keeper-batsman further added, “I just wanted to let the Indian team know we were with them on that. As I said, it's not condoned by any of us, and really disappointed that that happens when teams come to Australia and we want it to stop. Just wanted to make sure the Indian boys knew we are also against it and we support them.”
Noteworthy, the four-Test series between Australia and India is currently tied 1-1 with the winner of the fourth and final Test at The Gabba starting January 15, lift the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
(With PTI Inputs)
