Cricket fans blast Travis Head for his ‘very rude’ celebration in Boxing Day Test – but there’s an innocent explanation

Some cricket fans have called for Travis Head to be fined or even banned after the Aussie star engaged in an apparently vulgar celebration when he took a crucial scalp on the final day of the Boxing Day Test.

The match appeared to be heading for a draw, with India sitting at 3/121 when the batsman got Rishabh Pant to skype a ball to Mitch Marsh in the outfield – and then appeared to simulate sex by repeatedly pushing his index finger through a circle which he made with the thumb and forefinger of his other hand.

It didn’t take long for outraged fans to lash out at Head on social media.

“That’s a dirty party… where’s the fine?” someone asked.

‘What kind of party is this? Isn’t it obscene and vulgar to the gentleman’s game?’ another added.

Some fans were outraged when Head appeared to simulate sex as his villain added yet another twist in a drama-filled Boxing Day Test

Other comments included: ‘WTH he should be fined for this celebration’, ‘It’s complete disrespect’, ‘Cricket is a game of gentlemen… not a few hooligans’ and ‘Ban Travis Head of all ICC knockout matches. Children are watching’.

However, some fans thought there was an innocent explanation, with one writing: “Say it looked like a golf shot getting a hole-in-one?”

That turned out not to be true when Channel Seven commentator James Brayshaw revealed what the hand gesture actually meant – and it had nothing to do with sex.

“Great people in the back [at Seven] after him said [Head] He took 4-10 inside 17 balls in Sri Lanka in 2022 and he said: “I had to put the figure on ice,” Brayshaw said.

“So that was the party. He said, “I just got him and I’m putting him back on the ice.”

A photo posted on social media after that match against Sri Lanka showed Head dipping his index finger into a glass full of ice.

Pant’s wicket caused a mini-collapse for India, who then lost Ravindra Deja when he was caught by Alex Carey off a Scott Bowland delivery before Nitish Kumar Reddy gave one to Steve Smith at slip thanks to a Nathan Lyon delivery.

Prior to these scalps, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal appeared to be taking the lead in India’s efforts to achieve a draw, sitting on 82 off 200 balls played at the time of writing.

However, Jaiswal was lucky to survive on 31 when he was the beneficiary of a very controversial decision by the umpire.

Australia were furious after Jaiswal was hit on his back pad and not given out, with the decision left on the field despite DRS showing the ball would have hit the top of the leg stump.

If on-field umpire Joel Wilson had dismissed Jaiswal, India would have lost their fourth wicket even if the young gun had used a review.

Chasing an MCG chase record of 340, India have effectively ruled themselves out of winning the fourth Test by posting a run-rate of just over two per over.

One fan called for Head to be hit in the sciatic nerve, but others thought there was an innocent explanation for his gesture

This commentator wanted the Australian banned for what other fans speculated was a reference to a hole-in-one in golf

India just needs to draw the five-match series (currently 1-1) to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for a record-extending fifth consecutive time.

Jaiswal and India captain Rohit Sharma carefully saw off the first 16 overs until Cummins (2-10) produced six magical balls.

The Australian captain removed his opposition skipper Rohit with a ball that was juggled and caught in the gully by Mitch Marsh.

Five balls later, the in-form number 3 KL beat Rahul Cummings to slip first for a duck, boosting Australia’s hopes of taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

Mitchell Starc dismissed veteran superstar Virat Kohli (five), who was again caught behind the wicket, to arrange lunch.

Australia added just six more runs on Monday as they were bowled out for 234 runs in the second over of day five, giving them a lead of 339.