Watch: Nathan Lyon sledges Jasprit Bumrah with 'why are you batting behind Siraj?' remark, Harbhajan Singh reacts

A humorous banter between Nathan Lyon and Jasprit Bumrah regarding Mohammed Siraj’s batting position was caught on the stump mic during the third Test. Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh joined in on the banter after Nathan Lyon joked about why Jasprit Bumrah batted behind Mohammed Siraj.

Team India were in an uncomfortable position and seemed to face the follow-on on Day 4 of the third Test match on Tuesday, December 17. Mohammed Siraj was promoted to No. 9 in the batting order, ahead of Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep. However, Siraj scored 1 run and was dismissed by Mitchell Starc.

Watch: Nathan Lyon Asked Jasprit Bumrah, 'Why Are You Batting Behind Siraj?

It all began when Nathan Lyon humorously asked Jasprit Bumrah why he was batting behind Mohammed Siraj during India's first innings. Lyon asked, "Why are you batting behind Siraj?" Bumrah then responded with, "There is a mystery behind it." This playful banter attracted the commentators' attention.

Take a look at the video of the incident below:

DSP Siraj got a promotion in the batting order, but #JaspritBumrah isn’t spilling the beans on why! 😅#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 3rd Test, Day 5 LIVE NOW! #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/QEBoQw70xn

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 18, 2024

Mohammed Siraj Sahab Ke Kaunse Run Banaaye Hain - Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh joined the banter from the commentary box. He agreed with Lyon's question about Siraj's batting promotion. He said that he didn’t know what Siraj had done with the bat to deserve the promotion, joking that maybe it was because of his role in the police.

"Wajib sawaal pucha hai, bilkul wajib sawaal pucha hai. Siraj DSP sahab ke kaunse run banaaye hain jinke kaaran unko promotion mili. Thik hai police mein promotion mili hai par yahan bhi promotion mili. Isliye mili kyunki woh police mein hain? (He asked the right question. Don't know what DSP Siraj did with the bat that he got promoted in the batting order. He got the promotion in police but even over here. Did he get the promotion because he is in the police?)"

India Avoided Follow-On with Crucial Runs from Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah

KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were the best performers for India, helping the team surpass 200 runs. Rahul scored 84 before being dismissed by a stunning catch from Steve Smith off Nathan Lyon. Jadeja (77) was dismissed by Mitchell Marsh off Pat Cummins. At the stumps on Day 4, India was 252/9.

Akash Deep and Bumrah added a 47-run stand for the final wicket, helping India reach 260 and avoid the follow-on. Akash took on the Australian fast bowlers in the last hour of play. The Indian dressing room, particularly Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, cheered on the lower-order batters' efforts.

Earlier, Australia posted 445 in their first innings. Travis Head scored 152 runs off 160 balls, while Steve Smith contributed with 101 runs off 190 balls. The pair shared a 241-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Alex Carey added 70 runs. For Team India, Jasprit Bumrah was the top bowler with six wickets.

Also read: Watch: Jasprit Bumrah all over Usman Khawaja with a clean bowled in Brisbane