Mohammed Siraj fined: Cricket legends back India pacer after match fees deduction

Cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar and Nasser Hussain have jumped to the defence of Mohammed Siraj after the Indian pacer was slapped with a fine after his altercation with Ben Duckett on Day 4. As the Lord's Test became a fiery contest from the final over Day 3, the action on Sunday saw Siraj dismiss Duckett and have an animated celebration.

As the Indian pacer was celebrating, his shoulder bumped into Duckett and this was noted by the match officials. Siraj was fined 15 percent of his match fees for the incident, which Gavaskar felt was a bit harsh. Speaking to India Today after the game, the Indian legend said he didn't see anything wrong it and felt it wasn't a send-off for the batter.

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Gavaskar also feels that it was Duckett who initiated the contact during the incident.

"I actually didn't see anything wrong with that celebration because he wasn't giving the batter a send-off. Actually, when you give a send off, that is where I think you need to be fined. But if you're in the face saying, got you, I don't think that is any reason for the player to be summoned before the match referee."

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"I think it was just over the top, as far as the matchup fee is concerned. If you see the contact that happened, it was Ben Duckett who's came there. Siraj is not in this. Siraj's shoulder is a bit this way. Duckett is the one who's made the contact. Well, I mean, there you are. I think the match referee has taken the call. Hopefully Siraj will celebrate subtly, maybe, because at the end of the day, all you want is to keep on getting wickets. It doesn't matter what else happens," said Gavaskar.

'Don't want 22 robots in a game of cricket'

Speaking to Sky Sports, Hussain said that he wasn't a fan of the call made and said that in a game of cricket, it is natural that a fiery player may go a bit overboard with his celebrations. The former England captain said he doesn't want to see 22 robots playing and a quiet word from the match referee should have been enough for Siraj.

"[That punishment] is just not for me. These are not robots, these are people giving it absolutely everything, ball after ball on a hot week. You're playing for a country passionate about cricket, you're passionate. Sometimes as a fiery individual you will go slightly over the mark."

"You do not want 22 robots, you want a bit of fight, so a quiet word from the match referee would have been enough for me," said Hussain.

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Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: Jul 15, 2025

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