Bumrah and Siraj allegedly abused racially, BCCI lodges complaint with match referee

SYDNEY: The BCCI on Saturday lodged a formal complaint with ICC match referee David Boon after Indian team players, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, were allegedly racially abused by a drunk spectator here during the third day of third Test against Australia.

According to BCCI sources, Siraj was allegedly referred to as a ''monkey'' by a drunk spectator in one of stands at the Sydney Cricket Ground, reliving the infamous Monkeygate episode of the Indian team's tour of Australia in 2007-08. ''BCCI lodged a formal complaint with ICC match referee David Boon about two of their players Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj being abused by a drunk spectator,'' a Cricket Board source told PTI.

Incidentally, the Monkeygate episode also took place during the Sydney Test when Andrew Symonds claimed Harbhajan Singh called him a monkey multiple times. But the Indian off-spinner was cleared after a hearing on the matter. It is learnt that a long discussion was held between the senior players of the visiting contingent, including captain Ajinkya Rahane, the umpires and security officers at the end of the day's play. The abuses were directed at the Indian duo while they were fielding during the Australian second innings. Australia tightened the noose around India with a substantial 197-run lead on a forgettable Saturday for the visitors in the third Test.

By the close of play, Steve Smith (29 batting) and Marnus Labuschagne (47 batting) gave an exhibition of how to bat on slow tracks with Australia reaching 103 for two.