Australian skipper Tim Paine has responded to the criticism which former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar made on him after Australia allowed India to draw the third Test at the SCG. Paine in the post-match press conference apologised for his comments on Ravichandran Ashwin and also spoke about his inadequate captaincy in the Test match. This made Gavaskar say that Paine is not a captain at all after he allowed India to get away with a draw in the third Test.
Speaking at the press conference ahead of the fourth Test, Tim Paine said that he is not at all affected by the words of Gavaskar who said Tim Paine’s days as Australia’s Test captain are ‘numbered’.
Tim Paine Responds To Sunil Gavaskar’s Comments
“I am not going to get into it. Going back and forth with Sunil Gavaskar, do not think I am going to win that. He is entitled to his opinion, it does not affect us one bit if anything it is adding to the Test match. Sunny can keep saying what he wants to say but, in the end, we do not have anything to do with him,” Paine said.
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Meanwhile, Tim Paine has already apologised for his comments on Ashwin and has vouched to lead the team back with a smile which is something that he is used to doing.
“Throughout my career, I have done a pretty good job of being relaxed 99 percent of the times. That’s when I have played my best cricket. Other day, I thought I got caught up in the moment. What I have been good at it is able to step back and have a look around the crowd and realise you are captaining your country in a Test match, something I have always dreamt of” he said.
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Asked if he would continue with the banter after whatever happened in Sydney Paine said he will be leading in the final Test differently.
“I just think I will handle it differently, last Test I let it get under my skin, I have admitted that. I will concentrate on myself and leading my team.”