Navjot Singh Sidhu urges ICC to punish Travis Head of his celebration

(Source X)

Navjot Singh Sidhu urges ICC to punish Travis Head

India suffered a heavy 184-run defeat to Australia in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 30, but what really stole the spotlight was Travis Head’s strange celebration after dismissing Rishabh Pant in Brisbane.

Pant, famed for his fearless batting, was caught out off a half-tracker from Head, sending the ball straight into Mitchell Marsh’s hands at deep mid-wicket. However, it was Marsh’s acrobatic catch that led to one of the most bizarre and controversial moments in cricket history.

As Travis Head took the prized wicket of Rishabh Pant, his celebration left the cricket world in shock and raised numerous eyebrows. Head’s crude gesture—forming a hole with his left hand and repeatedly inserting his right index finger—was widely condemned, especially by Indian fans.

Former Indian cricketer and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu did not hold back in expressing his anger, calling Head’s celebration “obnoxious” and the “worst possible example” of sportsmanship. Sidhu, visibly furious, went even further, describing the act as a direct insult to 1.5 billion Indians. He demanded immediate and stringent action to ensure such inappropriate behavior had no place on the cricket field, fueling an ongoing and heated debate.

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This caustic conduct did not insult an individual but a nation of 1.5 billion Indians: Navjot Singh Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu on X: “Travis Head’s obnoxious behavior during the course of the Melbourne test doesn’t augur well for the gentleman’s game… it sets the worst possible example when there are kids, women, young & old watching the game… this caustic conduct did not insult an individual but a nation of 1.5 billion Indians… stringent punishment that would serve a deterrent for the future generations needs to be slapped on him so that no one dares follow suit.”

Australia secured a dominant 184-run victory in the Boxing Day Test, taking a 2-1 lead in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy as they head into the New Year Test in Sydney. For India, the pressure is now on as they face a must-win situation in the fifth and final Test to level the series and retain the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy for a historic third time.