‘I am always there for my players’ – Ajinkya Rahane recalls racial abuse incident at the SCG, reveals why India didn’t walk off

‘I am always there for my players’ – Ajinkya Rahane recalls racial abuse incident at the SCG, reveals why India didn’t walk off
Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane

The third Test of the recently concluded Border Gavaskar will be remembered for times to come for the steely determination displayed by India. But it will also be remembered for the ugly incident of racism which shook the cricketing world. Two members of the Indian team, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah were racially abused not once but twice in two days.

The Indians brought the incident to the notice of the officials and repeat offenders were then removed from the stadium. India’s vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane who was leading the side that day terms it a ‘really sad’ incident. He reveals that his team didn’t walk off the field out of respect for the game. And they didn’t want to cause any more delay than the incident has already caused.

“What happened in Sydney was really sad. With Siraj and a couple of others. We had to take a stand. Yes, I said that we are not going out of the field, we are here to play cricket,” Ajinkya Rahane told Sports Today.

“At the same time, we respect our players so if you can actually take those guys out who used bad language. We are here and we can start the game. We didn’t want to lose that momentum. At the same time, we respect our players and I am always there for my players,” Rahane added.

He worked really hard, all credit to him

Mohammed Siraj

Young quick Siraj’s Australia tour started in the worst possible way as he lost his father. But he stuck to the side in a bid to fulfil his late father’s dream. The Hyderbad quick showed immense courage as he overcomes the great tragedy and the crowd’s racial abuse to become India’s highest wicket-taker of the series. Rahane hails Siraj’s mental toughness and hard work for his success in all whites.

“I was really happy for them. Siraj especially. What he went through during the series. Start of the series lost his father but he was mentally tough. He wanted to be there with the team,” Rahane said.

“He worked really hard for that. Each and every net session, he worked really hard. I thought the way he bowled was very good. Credit to him, the way he managed himself, the way he bowled, the way he conducted himself. All credit to him,” Rahane further said.

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