BGT 2024-25: Siraj, Head punished for on-field spat in Adelaide

Mohammed Siraj and Travis Head, two players involved in an ugly on-field spat after the latter was dismissed by the former during Australia’s first innings of the Adelaide Test against India, were punished by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on December 9 (Monday).

Siraj was handed a 20 percent deduction of his match fee and also slapped one demerit point for his on-field action, which related to a breach of article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. This was for using foul language, actions or gestures. 

Head, on the other hand, was given an official reprimand and one demerit point, but no match fees were deducted from his pay for the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. 

The local boy from Adelaide breached Article 2.13 of the same ICC Code of Conduct. This breach relates to ‘abuse of a player, player support personnel, umpire or match referee during an international match.’

This was Siraj and Head's first demerit point in the last 24 months. They still have three more demerit points to survive before the ICC bans them. 

According to ICC Code of Conduct rules, "When a player reaches four or more demerit points within 24 months, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player."

Since Siraj and Head admitted to their respective offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Ranjan Madugalle, there was no need for an official hearing. 

The charges of the actions that transpired in the 82nd over of the Australian innings were levelled by on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Richard Kettleborough and fourth umpire Phillip Gillespie. 

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