Cricket: India's Mohammad Siraj called 'bloody grub' by Brisbane fans after SCG abuse scandal

Indian pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj has been targeted by fans on day one at the Gabba after he was the target of alleged racial abuse at the SCG last week.

The Sydney Morning Herald's Sam Phillips shared a video of a group goading the Indian quick as he lead the visitors' inexperienced pace attack to the deciding Test match.

After the third Test had two alleged incidents of racial abuse that targeted Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, who was ruled out of the fourth Test with an injury.

At the Gabba, it was Siraj and debutant Washington Sundar who were called out by the fans.

The video shared by Phillips showed a man calling out "Siraj, give us a wave, give us a wave, give us a wave. Siraj, you bloody grub".

Another fan shared their experience of the day.

"The guys behind me have been calling – shouting – both Washington and Siraj grubs," a spectator named Kate told the SMH.

"It started targeted at Siraj and it was a chant similar to the SCG one (in which fans sung to the tune of Que Sera, Sera but substituted the lyrics with Que Shiraz, Shiraz).

"But this time it was Siraj. I suspect it's not a coincidence that it's Siraj being targeted post the SCG stuff."

On the Siraj abuse issue don’t think the team will lodge an official complaint. They are focussed on the job at hand and that is to make history even when they are missing 7 key players.But even if they don’t press charges to hear Siraj being called a bloody grub is disgusting.

— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) January 15, 2021

Mohammed Siraj is not a grub. He’s quite the opposite. Washington Sundar also isn’t a grub. It’s his first bloody Test. Please be quiet in the stands. Fun banter is one thing, abuse is another. #AUSvIND

— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) January 15, 2021

Shocking: Siraj and Sundar were again subject to ‘racial’ abuse at the Gabba today according to Sydney Morning Herald. #INDvsAUS

— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) January 15, 2021

No lessons learnt @cricketcomau
Now fans abuse Mohammad Siraj during #GabbaTest
Hope @BCCI @JayShah take it up very strongly...@ICC

— Payal Mehta/પાયલ મેહતા/ पायल मेहता/ পাযেল মেহতা (@payalmehta100) January 15, 2021

It comes after the Sydney Test saw two separate incidents reported to umpires.

On day three after play, the Indian players reported alleged racial abuse from fans with the ICC match officials and stadium security called in.

But on day four, the match was stopped for nearly 10 minutes as police and stadium security kicked six fans out of the ground.

Furious Indian officials told the Press Trust of India that Siraj was called "Brown Dog" and "Big Monkey".

Indian bowler Mohammed Siraj. Photo / Photosport

The Times of India newspaper said that the fans on Saturday had been drunk. "Bumrah and Siraj were called monkeys, w**ker and motherf**ker by the people almost throughout the time they were fielding," it claimed.

Australian-Indian fan Prateik Kelkar who was among the six people booted from the stadium told the SMH last week that he didn't hear any abuse.

"We got kicked out as well for sticking up for them, for saying that they didn't say anything," Kelkar told the Herald. "[Siraj] was pissed off because he got hit for two sixes the previous over. He came to field on the boundary. He was copping it a bit and then they said: 'Welcome to Sydney, Siraj'. Next thing we knew they were getting kicked out."