Image Source : AP Tim Paine
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Monday slammed Australia skipper Tim Paine for sledging Ravichandran Ashwin throughout the drawn third Test right here, saying his behaviour was “unbefitting” of a frontrunner and will price him his captaincy.
Australia’s famed bowling assault threw every little thing at India on the fifth day however could not break their resolve because the guests held on for a memorable draw on the SCG.
“I don’t know I am not an Australian selector, but his days as captain are numbered. If you allow the Indian team to bat 130-odd overs without getting wickets, this is a very good Australian attack. The bowling changes, the field placements, everything could have made a difference to the result,” Gavaskar informed India Today.
Paine’s dropped catches performed a key position within the partnership of Hanuma Vihari (23 not out off 161) and Ravichandran Ashwin (39 not out off 128), who batted for greater than 42 overs for a 62-run stand to save lots of the Test.
In frustration, the 36-year-old tried to change some phrases with Ashwin to disturb his focus over the last session and ended up dropping Vihari after that.
“Tim Paine was more interested in talking to the batsman rather than his field placing and bowling changes. So I won’t be surprised if there is a change in the Australian captaincy after the series is over,” Gavaskar mentioned.
Paine dropped three catches throughout the match.
“If you drop simple catches, Rishabh Pant got two edges, they were not difficult catches, the last one which he missed off Vihari was also which he could have left to the first slip,” the previous India skipper mentioned.
“He was a little bit disturbed, his concentration was not there after that little episode with R Ashwin.”
In the 122nd over, Paine may very well be heard on stump mic, making an attempt to sledge Ashwin. He even used an abusive phrase throughout the chatter.
“First and foremost, it was unbefitting of a captain of a national team to be talking about something other than cricket,” Gavaskar mentioned.
“By all means, you need to have a go on the opposition, you speak about their cricket, you possibly can inform the batsmen he would not know how one can play, you possibly can say he’s no good.
“All those kinds of things are completely acceptable because you’re talking cricket. But when you talk about something else, it shows your frustration. It shows you are not able to bear the fact that the opposition is putting up a fight.”
India ended up with 334 for 5 in 131 overs, whereas chasing a mammoth 407.
Gavaskar mentioned Paine ought to have focussed on the sport relatively than indulging in “nonsense”.
“But see, this recreation, I had the previous Australian captain sitting subsequent to me and doing commentary. He mentioned this recreation has an exquisite manner of coming again and biting you on the again.
“Your best bet is to concentrate on the game and try not to upset the opposition with this kind of nonsense that has no place in the game,” Gavaskar mentioned.
Paine, nonetheless, had defended himself after the match saying that it was all part of the sport and no hurt was executed.
“There was a bit of by-play going on. They were wasting a bit of time, we were getting a bit frustrated, we let him know, he had a bit of say back and again it’s all part of the game. No harm done,” he mentioned throughout the digital post-match press convention.
Paine was on Sunday fined 15 per cent of his match payment for exhibiting dissent at an umpire’s determination on day three of the match.
