India’s 2020-21 Test series is often regarded as the team’s best comeback in the history of the game’s longest format. Virat Kohli, the then skipper had flown back home after the first Test to accompany his wife in welcoming their first child. Ace-pacer Shami was also ruled out because of injury. Later, experienced players Jadeja, Ashwin, and Bumrah were also injured as the series advanced. A second-string team went on to win the Gabba Test and the series by 2-1. It is noteworthy that it was after over three decades that the Indian team was victorious at Gabba. Ajinkya Rahane opened up about the Sydney racism incident at an event launch of ‘Bandon Mein Tha Dum’. Voot is launching a documentary on India-Australia Test Series that India won under dramatic circumstances.
Ajinkya Rahane opens about Sydney racism incident
Rahane revealed that umpires- Paul Reiffel and Paul Wilson had offered the Indian team to walk out. However, the Indian team stalled the game for over 10 minutes until the abusers were removed from the stands. Although, the evicted spectators got clearance from Cricket Australia, later. Since Virat was unavailable, Rahane was leading the Test side.
“(We) insisted on getting the abusers out of the ground. When Siraj again came to me (on the fourth day, after being abused the day before), I told the umpires that (they) need to take action and we won’t play till then. The umpires said that you can’t stall the game and can walk out if you want. We said that we are here to play and not sit in the dressing room and insisted on getting the abusers out of the ground. It was important to support our colleague given the situation he had been through. What happened in Sydney was completely wrong.”
Ajinkya Rahane
Racist slurs were hurled at Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah on the third day of the Sydney Test by some spectators. Therefore, at the end of Day 3, Indian players talked to match officials. However, as the 4th Day’s game began, it continued. And Indians alerted umpires.
Rahane speaks about the Test series on event launch
“This has been one of the most satisfying tours for us as a team. We tackled various obstacles to emerge victorious, something which seemed difficult to many outside the team back then. When I took over as the captain, my major focus was to make sure that the morale of the team remained intact. After the first defeat, we managed to come back stronger in the second Test match held in Melbourne. It has been an emotional journey for all of us. However, the second victory was followed by injuries to some of the team`s key players, which gave rise to more challenges. Bandon Mein Tha Dum beautifully encapsulates this journey,“ Rahane added.
Ashwin calls Siraj courageous to bring the matter to everyone’s notice
Ashwin who played a heroic inning with the bat in the SCG Test lauded Siraj for bringing this to notice. Ravichandran Ashwin had remained not-out alongside Hanuma Vihari to help the team draw the Test. India later went on to win the Test series by 2-1.
“Personally I think Adelaide and Melbourne weren’t as bad. But this has been a continuous thing at Sydney. I have experienced it as well. They do tend to get nasty. Yes, it happened at that ground [SCG] and at that place [Australia] a lot more. But it was courageous of him [Siraj] to bring it up so at least a wider section of people know and the people sitting next to such people in the ground do better next time. It is something one must condemn. But I want to bring it up that everywhere people are differentiating people on different grounds, which is not right.“
Ravichandran Ashwin
