'I'm not acknowledging what he's doing one bit' - Matthew Hayden slams Marnus Labuschagne for losing focus after Siraj's antics

Matthew Hayden wasn't happy with how Marnus Labuschagne responded after Mohammed Siraj tried to break his concentration on Day 2 of the third Test at The Gabba in Brisbane.

After Australia lost their openers early on Sunday, December 15, Labuschagne and Steve Smith resurrected the innings by batting with a cautious approach. Both of them survived some close calls as the Indian pacers bowled with a lot of heart.

In the 33rd over of the Aussie innings, Siraj walked past Labuschagne and flipped the bails. However, the batter was quick to get them back in their original positions. The moment of gamesmanship intrigued the spectators. It seemed that Labuschagne had things under control but that wasn't the case in the following over as he was dismissed by the talented Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Also Check: Watch: Mohammed Siraj plays mind games with Marnus Labuschagne, flips bails at striker's end

Labuschagne tried to break the shackles as he attempted to play an expansive cover drive off the all-rounder's bowling. However, he only managed a thick outside edge that was safely taken by Virat Kohli at second slip. This ended Labuschagne's watchful 12-run knock off 55 balls. Hayden feels that the 30-year-old should have tackled Siraj's antics with more composure as he was dismissed only a couple of deliveries after the incident.

"He saw 55 deliveries, has had no go forward whatsoever. Even that little exchange, if it was me at the crease and a bowler does that. I am not caring less. I'm not even looking at the bowler. I'm not acknowledging what he's doing one bit. He's nowhere near my space. In fact, I probably would have told him to get out of my space before he even got to the bails," Hayden said while commentating on Star Sports.

This was not the first time of hostility between Siraj and Labuschagne. Their on-field banter began in the first Test in Perth, where Siraj angrily threw the ball at the stumps after Labuschagne withdrew from a delivery due to crowd distraction. After this incident, Siraj became a villain for the Australian fans as they began booing him, a trend that continued at the Gabba.