10 December,2024 02:39 PM IST | Adelaide | mid-day online correspondent
The Indian fan spotted with sandpaper during Adelaide Test (Pic: Screengrab/X)
As tensions rise between Mohammed Siraj and Travis Head during the ongoing India-Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series, it appears the rivalry among fans has also intensified.
A viral video has surfaced showing an Indian fan being escorted out of the stadium after he attempted to display sandpaper. This act was a reference to the infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal, where Australian players Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were banned for using sandpaper to alter the ball's condition.
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The fan, wearing an India jersey, was quickly instructed by security to leave the stands after brandishing the sandpaper. The crowd's reaction was mixed, with some cheering and others jeering as the fan held the sandpaper aloft. Shortly after, he was seen being forcefully escorted away by a few security guards.
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The incident directly referenced the 2018 controversy when Bancroft was caught using sandpaper on the ball, with Smith and Warner implicated in the scandal. Bancroft received a nine-month ban, while Smith and Warner were each handed 12-month suspensions.
Also Read: Why Siraj got a larger sanction than Travis Head in Adelaide
This incident in the stands follows a heated on-field exchange between Siraj and Head during the pink-ball second Test in Adelaide. Both players received one demerit point from the International Cricket Council (ICC), with Siraj also being fined 20 percent of his match fees for his involvement.
With the series tied at 1-1, former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has predicted that the rivalry is likely to escalate further in the upcoming Test.
"What I feel personally is, the things will definitely get heated from the next Test match again, but whatever incident happened here, should be left here in Adelaide," Harbhajan said on Star Sports. The third Test is scheduled to begin on Saturday, December 14, in Brisbane.
