The third test match between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground has been in talks due to the series of events that took place during the course of the game, starting with the racial abuse of Indian players and then the visitors earning a well-fought draw.
The third Test match was marred by racial abuse from fans towards India's Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah on the third and fourth day of the SCG Test. This was followed by umpires and match officials being notified and them involving police and authorities, who evicted few fans who were unruly and drunk.
A cricket fan, Krishna Kumar, who was present in the stadium on Day 2, 3, and 5 of the Sydney Test recalled the incident and said he was really shocked to see the ugly side of racism and it all began not at 4-5 PM but at 10:30 AM.
“Was really shocked to see the ugly side of racism on Day 3, and I have seen a lot of reports that some of the spectators were drunk and that could be the reason.
With any form of racism, there should be no excuse attached to it, and it all began not at 4-5 pm (as some media reports have said), but at 10:30 am. So, this was not just under the influence of alcohol. At 10:30 am I don’t expect people to be drunk,” Krishna Kumar told Sports today.
The spectator brought to the notice that India captain Ajinkya Rahane was also racially abused and said this was the first time he saw something like that.
“On Saturday, starting from 10:30, there were chants of ‘s*****s, s*****s, s*****s going around’. Rahane was batting at the time, and their chants such as ‘Rahane is a s s****r, all Indians are s*****s’. This is the first time I was really seeing something like this. I have never faced something like this and to me it was appalling,” he said.
The spectator, Krishna Kumar further said he tried to confront the abusing spectators but to no avail.
"I turned around and it was a group of 5-6 guys, aged 19-23, young guys who were having a good time and thought that this was really funny. I tried to have some eye contact to let them know that it was not cool, but you know, they just continued. ‘All Indians are s*****s’ they continued to say,” said Krishna Kumar.
Addressing the issue Cricket Australia offered an unreserved apology over the issue of fans hurling racial abuse towards Indian players on the third and fourth day of the third Test match.
The entire cricket fraternity condemned the upsetting and disappointing incident that took place during the third Test of the ongoing Border- Gavaskar trophy.
The International Cricket Council extended its support to the apex Australian cricket board after Indian players were subjected to unsavory comments from the crowd at the SCG.
(Sports today Inputs)
