VIDEO | ‘Don’t regret sledging Ashwin’: Ex-Aussie skipper Tim Paine on 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy incident

The 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia was one of most memorable Test series in the recent past, with India coming from behind to win the four-match series 2-1.

With then captain Virat Kohli returning home after the first Test in Adelaide, which Australia won by eight wickets, the pressure was on the visitors, led by stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane. But, India defied all odds, even overcoming a string of injuries, to win the second Test in Melbourne, drawing the third in Sydney and the decider in Brisbane.

The Sydney Test saw off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin staying unbeaten on 39 off 128 balls, batting for 42.4 overs with a back ache. Middle-order batter Hanuma Vihari gave him company with a solid 23 not out, off 161 balls. The Aussies tried everything, even sledging, but the duo saw India through.

Now, in a podcast of ‘thegradecricketer’, then skipper and wicketkeeper-batter Tim Paine has said that he does not regret sledging Ashwin, as he was trying to unsettle the off-spinner, who eventually helped India to an important draw.

“I can’t wait to get you to the Gabba, Ash, I’ll tell you what, woohoo,” Paine had said from behind the stumps, before an over from off-spinner Nathan Lyon. Ashwin responded by saying that they are waiting to get Paine to India and that it will be the last series for the Aussie skipper.

“…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 said in the podcast.