BGT: Travis Head lied...didn't say 'well-bowled' - Siraj speaks up on send-off row

Indian seamer Mohammed Siraj spoke up on his infamous send-off to Australia batter Travis Head on day two of the ongoing Border–Gavaskar Trophy test series in Adelaide. Following the day's play, where Australia dominated thoroughly thanks to an incredible 140 from Head in the second innings, the Aussie batter revealed what he said to Siraj after his dismissal, leading to an ugly exchange of actions and words, with the cricket world talking about it.

While Head claimed he had said ‘well-bowled’ to Siraj, who knocked off his stumps with a searing Yorker to send him packing, the Indian pacer called it a ‘lie’, saying that’s not what Head uttered while walking back.

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Siraj said although he enjoyed his battle against Head, who has been a thorn in the flesh of the Indians especially since last year, he reacted to Head’s comments, which he said were not as subtle as Head portrayed in the presser.

“I enjoyed bowling at him because it was a good battle. When you get hit for a good delivery, it fills you with even more energy. I celebrated after the bowled dismissal, and you saw what he said on TV. I didn't say anything on TV, he lied in the press conference that he told me 'well-bowled'. We know it wasn't that,” Siraj said.

Siraj broke his silence on Head’s remarks during a segment on Star Sports ahead of the third day’s play in Adelaide.

“We don't disrespect anyone. Cricket is a gentleman's game, but the way he did what he did was wrong,” the Indian seamer added.

What did Head say?

Shortly after the umpires called it a day, the media rushed towards Head to get his reaction to the send-off that Siraj gave him, with the Aussie batter opening up without mincing his words.

"I said, 'well-bowled,' but he thought otherwise when he pointed me towards the sheds. He got a little bite back from me," Head said in a chat with Fox Cricket.

"Slightly disappointed with the way that transpired. It is what it is. If they want to react like that, and if that's how they want to represent themselves, then so be it."

Later, in the post-day presser, the journalists again asked him about his thoughts on the same, to which Head continued, "I was surprised at the reaction in terms of the situation of the game and the lead-up.

"There was no confrontation leading up to him, and I felt like it was probably, yeah, a little bit far at the time, and that's why I'm disappointed in the reaction that I gave back.

"But I'm also going to stand up for myself. I'd like to think that, in our team, we wouldn't do that. It's not how I'd like to play the game, and I feel like my teammates are the same. And if I had seen that in that circumstance, I'd probably call it out, which I did,” Head said, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

(With inputs from agencies)