India captain Virat Kohli has denounced as "absolutely unacceptable" the alleged racial abuse of the India team from sections of the crowd in the third Test against Australia in Sydney on Sunday.
Cricket chiefs are investigating after Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah were apparently targeted while they fielded by the boundary ropes of the Sydney Cricket Ground.
In a second incident, play was halted just before the tea break on Sunday when Siraj ran from the fine leg boundary towards the umpires, pointing into the crowd.
Kohli is missing the final three Tests for the birth of his first child, but took to Twitter to support his players.
"Racial abuse is absolutely unacceptable," he wrote.
"Having gone through many incidents of really pathetic things said on the boundary lines, this is the absolute peak of rowdy behaviour.
"It’s sad to see this happen on the field."
Kohli added: "The incident needs to be looked at with absolute urgency and seriousness and strict action against the offenders should set things straight for once."
AFP