India’s wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant has revealed that a ball was thrown at seamer Mohammed Siraj on the first day of the third Test match against England. This comes after champagne corks were thrown at opener KL Rahul in the second Test. The hosts finished the opening day at 120/0, leading India (78) by 42 runs. 

Mohammed Siraj was fielding at the boundary when a spectator, as per Pant, threw a ball at him. The TV cameras showed Virat Kohli, who asked Siraj to throw the object out.

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“I think, somebody (from the crowd) threw a ball at Siraj, so he (Kohli) was upset. You can say whatever you want, chant, but don’t throw things at fielders. It is not good for cricket, I guess,” Pant said at the end of the first day’s play. 

In the last session of the play at Headingley, Siraj was seen giving a fitting reply to a section of the English crowd when they asked him the score to tease him. India had performed poorly in the first innings. The pacer turned towards the crowd and told them India are leading the series 1-0. After winning the toss, Virat Kohli and company could manage only 78 runs.

The 27-year-old Siraj, who played a key role in the team’s win in the second Test at Lord’s, was also targeted earlier this year when the Australian crowd in Sydney abused him which led to eviction of a few spectators and brief stoppage of play.

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Siraj had, back then, complained to the umpires that he was being abused by a section of the Australian supporters.

On Day 1, England’s veteran pacer James Anderson (3/6) and Craig Overton (3/14) claimed three wickets each, while Ollie Robinson (2/16) and Sam Curran (2/21) took two each as the England bowlers wreaked havoc on the visitors. Opener Rohit Sharma (19) and Ajinkya Rahane (18) were the only batsmen to reach double digit scores.