Travis Head caught up in bizarre furore over celebration as ugly detail about wife emerges
The backlash comes as details about the divisive act become clearer.
India's outrage over the dramatic fourth Test defeat to Australia has taken a sinister turn, with Travis Head coming under fire for a bizarre celebration and his wife targeted by angry fans in disgusting backlash. It comes after Aussie captain Pat Cummins offered an explanation for Head's eye-opening gesture during their dramatic fourth Test victory on Monday, as debate continues to rage over opener Yashasvi Jaiswal's crucial dismissal.
Head picked up the crucial wicket of Rishabh Pant in the final session on day five at the MCG, when India were looking strong and the match appeared to be meandering towards a draw. It prompted a strange celebration from Australia's superstar batter, with Head forming a ring with his left hand and dipping his bowling finger inside.
The gesture was odd but appeared harmless at the time, however it's led to explosive backlash from former India Test star and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who suggested the Aussie star should face serious sanctions for insulting 'a nation of 1.5 billion Indians'. Sidhu wrote: “Travis Head’s obnoxious behaviour during the course of the Melbourne test doesn’t auger well for the gentleman’s game.
“(It) sets the worst possible example when there are kids, women, young and 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!!!”
Travis Head's wife Jessica cops abuse on social media
The wild accusation has riled up Indian cricket fans who've failed to accept the fourth Test defeat with dignity. Head has been targeted over the incident and even his wife Jessica, who gave birth to the couple's second child last month, has found herself at the centre of vile backlash on social media. Her Instagram account has been inundated with angry messages and pig emojis, with Cummins' wife Becky also copping similar abuse.
Pat Cummins explains Travis Head celebration
Cummins went on to explain after his side's epic victory in the fourth Test - where they took seven wickets in the final session to win by 184 runs - that Head's celebration was little more than a running joke. Cummins said Head was pretending to dip his finger into a bucket of ice in what seems to be a self-deprecating joke about his own bowling ability.
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OK. I can explain that,” Cummins said after being asked about Head's celebration. “It’s his finger’s so hot he’s got to put it in a cup of ice. That’s what it is. That’s normally the running joke. He was at the Gabba or somewhere and he got a wicket as well and he just goes straight to the fridge, grabs a bucket of ice, puts his finger in and just walks in front of (Nathan Lyon). Just like that. He thinks it’s very funny. So that’s what it would have been, nothing else.”
Cummins' revelation comes after widespread backlash around India over the Aussie skipper's game-changing wicket of Jaiswal on day five. Controversy erupted when third umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat overturned the on-field decision that Jaiswal hadn't hit the ball after 'Snicko' failed to register a spike, despite all the evidence pointing to a deflection off bat or glove.
Ricky Ponting was among those to slam the criticism from Indian fans around the world and insisted there was no debate that the third umpire made the right call. Former elite umpire Simon Taufel also revealed the third umpire caused unnecessary confusion by using 'Snicko' in the first place and not trusting the compelling evidence in front of him. That came after former Indian coach Sunil Gavaskar came under fire around the cricket world for admitting there the ball did change direction after Jaiswal's shot but suggesting it could have been an 'optical illusion' that he got any bat or glove on the ball.
