India adamant SCG crowd abuse was racist after fans ejected on day four

India has sensationally claimed the SCG is notorious for “nasty” incidents involving fans and backed quick Mohammed Siraj's claim he was racially abused on day four.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 10: Mohammed Siraj of India stops play to make a formal complaint about some spectators in the bay behind his fielding position during day four of the Third Test match in the series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 10, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

India are adamant that their young bowling star Mohammed Siraj was again racially vilified at the SCG — a ground they say is notorious — despite crowd claims it was more banter than hardcore abuse.

Six men were asked to leave the ground on Sunday and police and Cricket Australia have launched investigations following an extraordinary incident where play stopped for at least 10 minutes while Siraj reported the alleged abuse to his captain and match officials.

The episode was made even uglier because India have already alleged that Siraj — and fellow quick Jasprit Bumrah — were also racially abused by fans in the same section of the ground near the Brewongle Stand on Friday and Saturday.

Eye-witness accounts and police sources indicated that Sunday’s clash constituted heckling rather than abuse of a racial nature, but the Indians maintain the crowd behaviour was more sinister in nature.

The incident needs to be looked at with absolute urgency and seriousness and strict action against the offenders should set things straight for once.

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 10, 2021

Indian superstar Virat Kohli tweeted his condemnation of the allegedly racist abuse to his 39.8 million followers.

“Racial abuse is absolutely unacceptable. Having gone through many incidents of really pathetic things said on the boundary lines, this is the absolute peak of rowdy behaviour. It’s sad to see this happen on the field,” wrote Kohli.

“The incident needs to be looked at with absolute urgency and seriousness and strict action against the offenders should set things straight for once.”

There is no place for racism in our game. Anything that can be deemed hurtful or abusive is unacceptable & needs to be reported immediately. To not say anything is to be complicit. Progress though for a protocol to be in place and for Siraj to feel comfortable in speaking out

— Isa Guha (@isaguha) January 10, 2021

Indian star Ravichandran Ashwin said some of the abuse was racist and made the extraordinary claim that Sydney has been notorious for vilifying Indian teams for the past 10 years.

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“I would like to point out something. This is my fourth tour of Australia and in Sydney we have had a few experiences even in the past,” said Ashwin.

“They have been quite nasty and hurling abuse … there is a time where they have gone one step ahead and used racial abuses. There was an official complaint lodged yesterday.

“This is definitely not acceptable. Sometimes I think this roots back to the upbringing and the way one sees.

“This has been a continual thing in Sydney. I have personally experienced it as well.

“If I take myself back to my first tour in 2011-12, I had no clue about racial abuse and how you can be made to feel small in front of so many people. And the people actually laugh at you when you get abused. When I stood at the boundary line you wanted to stand another 10 yards in to keep yourself away from these things.”

Mohammed Siraj points out fans in the SCG crowd.

Ashwin said the team have discussed the abuse claims as they rally around Siraj, with the International Cricket Council also investigating the separate allegations from Saturday and Sunday.

“There is no place for discrimination in our sport and we are incredibly disappointed that a small minority of fans may think that this abhorrent behaviour is acceptable,” ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said in a statement on Sunday night.

“We have a comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Policy in place that members have to abide by and ensure is adhered to by fans and we welcome the action taken by ground authorities and Cricket Australia today.

“We will provide Cricket Australia and the relevant authorities with our full support in any ensuing investigation as we will not tolerate any racism in our sport.”

The Australian team backed India’s claims on Sunday night, with captain Tim Paine at one point heading towards the section of the crowd himself before being called back, while coach Justin Langer declared the team was disturbed by the “sickening” behaviour being alleged.

“It’s upsetting and disappointing. Anyone who knows me, I’ve said for years it’s just one of my greatest pet hates in life that people think they can come to a sporting event whether it’s cricket or any code and pay their money and think they can abuse or say whatever they like. I hated it as a player, I hate it as a coach,” Langer said.

“We’ve seen it in different parts of the world and it’s really sad to see it happen in Australia. It’s a shame to see it getting marred by incidents like we’re hearing about today and last night.

“The more you get educated and the more you understand (about Australia’s Aboriginal history), the more sickening it is when you hear of racial discrimination as has been alleged today. It makes you feel very sad that people are subjected to that. You can understand why it’s so hurtful.”

CA security chief Sean Carroll joined police in interviewing a number of spectators and promised a full and thorough investigation.

“The abuse of cricketers by crowd members is not acceptable,” said Carroll.

“We thank the Indian team for their vigilance in reporting today’s incident, which we are now in the process of investigating.

“A number of spectators were interviewed by NSW Police and subsequently removed from the SCG on Sunday afternoon. While we await the outcome of the investigation launched by NSW Police, CA has launched its own inquiry into the matter.”

The SCG features 800 HD and ultra HD CCTV cameras and say they’ve never been better equipped to find perpetrators than in the COVID era where every fan is linked to their seat with full phone and address details.

There didn’t appear to be any finger pointing from patrons sitting in the surrounding seats to the six fans who were ultimately taken away by police for questioning and eye witnesses reported a sledge of ‘Welcome to the SCG, Siraj’ as the moment when the 26-year-old rookie stopped the match.

Siraj has endured a roller coaster tour where his father tragically died back in late November, and the promising star deciding not to return home for the funeral.

In Melbourne he made his Test debut and starred in a massive Indian upset.

Mohammed Siraj and captain Ajinkya Rahane speak to umpire Paul Reiffel.

A fan who didn’t want to be named, revealed Siraj was heckled earlier on Sunday morning by a fan in the Bill O’Reilly stand and reacted by flipping the patron “the bird”.

“I was sitting in the Bill O’Reilly Stand and we were bantering. Nothing abusive, no swearing. Siraj bowled a poor over the over before and he came back to have a drink and someone in the crowd goes, ‘you do not deserve a drink, as you bowled a poor over’, and Siraj got to the boundary and gave the bird to the crowd, middle finger,” said the fan.

“All those people got security (attention), he complained to whoever, and this was the over before lunch. He made a complaint about that group in the stand and they almost got kicked out, they got a warning.”

Take Test cricket off Sydney for 12 months if this happens again. #AUSvIND

— Paul Montgomery (@m0nty) January 10, 2021

So disappointed with a very small part of the SCG fans, totally embarrassed.

— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) January 10, 2021

Shocking scenes... the look on Mohammad Siraj’s face is heartbreaking #AUSvIND

— Corbin Middlemas (@CorbinMiddlemas) January 10, 2021

Mohammed Siraj’s father died from a lung condition in November. Siraj missed the funeral to stay on this tour and broke through for a Test debut on Boxing Day. A monumental sacrifice, and it would be so disappointing to have that achievement soured by racism at the SCG. #AUSvIND

— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) January 10, 2021

Sources have confirmed Siraj was racially abused the previous day on Saturday, when he and Bumrah were interviewed by ICC officials after the match.

Australian captain Tim Paine was invested in getting to the bottom of who was responsible for the alleged comments and stood in the middle of the Indian huddle and spoke with opposing captain Ajinkya Rahane.

Cricket Australia says fans who engage in racist abuse are not welcome at venues across the country.

Moises Henriques, Australia’s sub fielder also walked over to the area in a sign of solidarity between the two teams that racism and abuse of any kind is unacceptable.

“Cricket Australia condemns in the strongest terms possible all discriminatory behaviour,” said Carroll of Saturday’s separate incident where racism claims have been substantiated.

“If you engage in racist abuse, you are not welcome in Australian cricket.”

The fact the SCG now falls under the banner of Venues NSW means culprits could be banned from all sporting stadiums across the State.