Tim Paine: Australia Distracted By India’s ”Sideshows”
Australia captain Tim Paine has said his side allowed themselves to be distracted by India’s “sideshows”. During the intense 4-Test series which the visitors won in a dramatic fashion earlier this year.
Tim Paine received a lot of flak after his side went 2-1 against a depleted. The Indian side was without captain Virat Kohli after the first Test wherein the visitors were bundled out for 36. Their lowest-ever Test score. India bounced back. Hammering Australia in Melbourne before they sealed a heroic draw in Sydney. Denying Australia with some gutsy batting on a Day 5 pitch at the SCG.
“Part of the challenge of playing against India. They’re very good at niggling you and trying to distract you with stuff. That doesn’t really matter. There were times in that series where we fell for that,” Paine was quoted as saying by news.com.au.
“The classic example was when they said they weren’t going to the Gabba. So we didn’t know where we were going. They’re very good at creating these sideshows and we took our eye off the ball,” he added.
India was without Virat Kohli, who flew back home after the first Test where India was bundled for 36 — their lowest score in Test cricket.
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In the final Test, Rishabh Pant produced a match-winning knock on the final day to help India win the four-match series 2-1.
Virat Kohli’s men will travel to England in the first week of June and complete the mandatory quarantine period before taking on New Zealand in the World Test Championship final in Southampton from June 18.