In the third Test of the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, former Australia captain Tim Paine engaged in a verbal altercation with Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Paine’s sledging stemmed from his frustration with Ashwin’s consistent dismissals of him.
Despite India’s eventual 2-1 series victory, Paine’s comments have sparked controversy. In a recent podcast, Paine defended his actions, stating that he was not targeting the Indian team as a whole but rather Ashwin specifically.
“I wasn’t talking to the Indians, I was talking to him,” Paine said. “I said we cannot wait to get you to the Gabba…because he was annoying us, fair to say.”
Ashwin responded to Paine’s sledging in kind, saying: “Just like we wanna get you to India. That will be your last series.”
Paine acknowledged that his comments were directed solely at Ashwin, who ultimately withdrew from the fourth Test due to a back spasm. However, Paine questioned the severity of Ashwin’s injury, noting that he had been seen jogging laps on the first day of the Test.
“Did I had a great game in that match? No, but I fronted up,” Paine said. “Actually day one of the Test match he (Ashwin) was jogging laps. Those back spasms couldn’t have been that bad.”
Paine’s sledging has reignited the debate over the role of verbal aggression in cricket. While some argue that it can be a legitimate tactic to unsettle opponents, others believe it crosses the line of sportsmanship.
Regardless of one’s stance on sledging, it is clear that Paine’s comments have added an extra layer of intrigue to the already intense rivalry between Australia and India.
