Josh Hazlewood backs Mohammed Siraj's aggression in Adelaide Test
What's the story
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has come out in support of India's Mohammed Siraj after the latter's fiery exchange with Travis Head in the Adelaide Test.
Hazlewood defended Siraj's fiery nature on the field, saying there's nothing wrong with showing a bit of fire while playing Test cricket.
He hailed Siraj as a passionate fast bowler who has bowled some incredible spells over the last few years in world cricket.
Personal insight
Hazlewood praises Siraj's character and passion
Hazlewood, who has shared the dressing room with Siraj at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, praised the pacer's character.
He called Siraj a great person and a good character.
"He's great. I really enjoyed my time at the RCB with Siraj," Hazlewood said at a press conference on Monday, December 9.
He also compared Siraj's love for the game to that of Virat Kohli, noting how he could energize crowds and deliver strong performances in IPL matches over the last few years.
Heated exchange
Siraj's on-field clash with Head sparks controversy
The Adelaide crowd didn't take kindly to Siraj's antics in the second Test match of the series.
Things heated up when Siraj threw the ball at Marnus Labuschagne after he backed out late into his stride, and later had a heated argument with Travis Head.
The argument came after Siraj dismissed Head for 140 runs in Australia's first innings, celebrating his wicket with a fiery display of emotion that was met with verbal retaliation from Head.
Post-match reflections
Head expressed disappointment over Siraj's reaction
After the match, Head was disappointed with Siraj's reaction.
"I actually joked with him and said 'well bowled' and then he pointed me to the sheds," Head told reporters after Saturday's play.
However, on Sunday, Siraj denied the claims, saying he was just celebrating his successful delivery and it was Head who started the verbal exchange.
He even accused Head of lying about their interaction in a press conference.
Confidence
Siraj remains confident despite crowd's reaction
Despite the controversy and negative crowd reaction, Siraj remained confident of his team's ability to bounce back.
"The Indian team knows how to make a comeback really well. We never give up," he said.
He emphasized that they are always positive about scoring runs from any position and even winning the contest, vowing to take the field with a positive mindset in future matches.