Ravichandran Ashwin, off-spinner of India on Sunday (January 10) said racist abuse from the crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground is not new and needs to be dealt with an iron fist after some spectators were ejected for targeting Indian players during the ongoing third Test against Australia.
Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah were subjected to racial abuse but a day after India officially lodged a complaint with the ICC, six spectators were asked to leave the ground with the Hyderabad pacer once again subjected to crowd trouble on day 4 of 3rd Test.
Ravichandran Ashwin: Racism Needs To Be Dealt With Iron Fist
Speaking at the end of the fourth day’s play, Ravichandran Ashwin said the Indian players have faced racism in Sydney earlier too.
“We have faced racism in Sydney earlier too. It needs to be dealt with iron fist,” Ashwin told reporters at the post-day press conference.
Spectators were evicted from SCG for making racist remarks at India pacer Mohammed Siraj on 4th day. The play was halted for a few minutes on the fourth day of the match after India pacer Mohammed Siraj complained of abuse from a section of the crowd here, leading to the expulsion of some spectators and an unreserved apology from the host board.
Ravichandran Ashwin Didn’t Know What Racism Was In 2011
Local media reported that six people were expelled from the ground by the security during the nearly 10-minute halt in the on-ground proceedings.
Ashwin added, “In 2011, I didn’t know what racism is and how you are made to feel small. And people also join the laugh.”
Australian coach Justin Langer also condemned the unsavoury incident which drew criticism from former cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha.
Harbhajan Singh, Indian spinner on Sunday said that the Australian crowd is in the habit of getting involved in unsavoury incidents like hurling abuses at the visiting teams. Harbhajan Singh’s remarks came as the Indian team on Saturday lodged an official complaint.
Pragyan Ojha, former Indian spinner reckons that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should, seriously, take up the matter of Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, getting racially abused, with Cricket Australia (CA).