The act may have backfired, with India going on to script a second successive Test series win Down Under in the 2020/21 tour following a historic win at the Gabba, but former Australia captain Tim Paine admitted that he does not have any regret sledging Ravichandran Ashwin, who at time left him absolutely “annoyed.”
Despite the 2018/19 win being a record victory for India under Virat Kohli, with the team scripting their first-ever series triumph on Aussie soil, it is the 2020/21 series that will forever be remembered in the books of Indian cricket history.
Following the infamous ’36 all out in the leadup to the loss in the Adelaide opener, Kohli left the tour owing to personal commitments. India were then plagued by injuries of almost all their Test regulars. Yet, under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane, India fought back in the second Test in Melbourne and later held off Australia in the third Test in Sydney, where Ashwin played a vital role with the bat alongside Hanuma Vihari.
It was during that match-saving partnership for India when Paine sledged Ashwin to break his resolve. “I can’t wait to get you to the Gabba, Ash, I’ll tell you what, woohoo,” he said ahead of an over from off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Despite the failed act, following which India later went on to win the final match at the Gabba to claim the series 2-1, Paine, speaking in a podcast of ‘The Grade Cricketer,’ expressed no regret as he opened up on why he had sledged Ashwin.
“No, I don’t because to this day Ashwin didn’t play in that (Brisbane) Test match. I wasn’t talking to the Indians, I was talking to him. I said we cannot wait to get you to the Gabba.
“…because he was annoying us, fair to say. He is a fantastic cricketer. He was getting me out all the time and that was annoying me as well,” Paine
Ashwin too replied in kind to Paine, saying: “Just like we wanna get you to India. That will be your last series.”
Paine’s ‘back spasm’ dig at Ashwin
Ashwin had suffered a back injury during his partnership with Vihari, who in turn had hurt his hamstring, as the senior batter was rested for the final game in Brisbane.
However, Paine, taking a dig as Ashwin, questioned his injury pull-out ahead of the match, revealing that he had seen the spinner taking laps around the ground on the eve of the series finale.
“But no, that was purely directed straight at him and he pulled out of that Test match because of back spasm.”
“Did I had a great game in that match? No, but I fronted up. Actually day one of the Test match he (Ashwin) was jogging laps. Those back spasms couldn’t have been that bad,” he added.
