Gautam Gambhir wants 'permanent solution' after Indian players face racial abuse in Sydney Test

Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir feels evicting the guilty fans who racially abused Indian players is not a strict enough punishment. The 39-year-old urged the decision-makers to come up with a 'permanent solution' to prevent racial incidents on the cricket field.

Six spectators were evicted from the ground on Day 4 after Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj complained of receiving racial abuse from a section of the crowd. The Indian team had already lodged an official complaint to the ICC at the end of Day 3 after the first incident. Gautam Gambhir feels strict measures are important to deter future abusers. Gambhir told ANI:

"It's not at all acceptable. Racial abuse should not be there, and racial abuse against anyone is not acceptable. Strict laws and strict actions should be there so that these things do not happen. Just taking crowds out of the stadium is not the solution. It happened in the past, and it may happen in the future till the time you don't have any permanent solution and strict action. Strict law is required, and there should be a punishment for the same," Gambhir said.

Play was briefly stopped on Day 4 of the third Test when skipper Ajinkya Rahane brought the matter to the umpires. Television visuals indicated that Mohammed Siraj faced racial abuse while fielding near the boundary.

We have launched an investigation in parallel with NSW Police following a crowd incident at the SCG today. Full statement 👇 pic.twitter.com/D7Qu3SenHo

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) January 10, 2021

"Fans here tend to get nasty" - Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin

In a press conference, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that such incidents have been common in Sydney.

"Adelaide and Melbourne were not as bad, but like I said this has been a continuous thing in Sydney, I have dealt with it in the past, the fans here tend to get nasty, I do not know why they do it, unless and until it is dealt with, people don't find the necessity to look it in a different way," Ashwin said.

Cricket Australia have launched an investigation and assured they will look into the matter to its 'fullest extent'.

It remains to be seen what further steps the authorities will take to curb such incidents in the future.

India, meanwhile, have a monumental task on hand if they want to avoid defeat in the third Test. They still need 309 runs to win with eight wickets in hand.

Racial abuse is absolutely unacceptable. Having gone through many incidents of really pathetic things said on the boundary Iines, this is the absolute peak of rowdy behaviour. It's sad to see this happen on the field.

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 10, 2021