Former Australian captain Tim Paine recently ??revealed that he used to get annoyed when people advised him against sledging Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli during matches. Paine, who led Australia against India in the 2018-19 series, said he believed sledging could potentially distract Kohli and cause him to make mistakes, even if it didn’t prevent him from scoring runs.

Annoyed Tim Paine

“People used to say, don’t sledge Virat. If you don’t sledge Virat… most of the time still get runs, so it doesn’t really matter whether you’re talking to him or not,” Paine told CricTracker. 

However, he maintained that he wouldn’t try to fire up Kohli too much but instead aim to distract him. As if he could get a bit of a distraction, Kohli might play a rash shot or lose his concentration.

“I wouldn’t try too much to fire up Virat, but I would try and distract him if I could because if you can get a bit of a distraction, he might play a bad shot or lose his concentration. But it used to annoy me when people say, oh, don’t sledge him, because people don’t get better because someone’s talking to them,” Paine added.

He argued that while Kohli may still score runs regardless of whether he is sledged, the act of sledging can still unsettle him?? and potentially lead to a lapse in con??centration.

Also READ: Tim Pa??ine lashes out at Ben Stokes for his ‘fans are lucky t?o witness England�remarks

Battle of banters

The verbal battle between Paine and Kohli came to a head during India’s tour of Australia in 2018-19, when Kohli led his team to their first-ever Test series win in Australia. In an Amazon documentary titled “The Test”

Paine described the incident, saying, “I was just sitting and watching him and he gave few of our guys send-offs. The plan was not to talk to him when he was batting.”

Paine went on to say that when Australia was batting, he felt it was up to each player whether they wanted to engage i??n sledging. He admitted that he had enough and wanted to stand up for himself and? his teammates, leading him to confront Kohli.

“He was trying to upset me with the part-time captain and I sort of went the opposite with him. I was sort of telling him how good he was and that he was the greatest player ever. You don’t want to get right into a fight with him because that’s what he likes. I was just trying to poke him a little bit and see if I could get him to implode a little bit.” Paine recalled.

Despite Paine’s attempts to unsettle Kohli, the Indian star went on to score a century in the Perth Test. However, Paine maintained that his approach was still valid. He believed t??hat even if Kohli continued to score runs, the act of sledging could still have a psychological impact and potentially lead to a la?pse in concentration.

Also READ: Neeraj Chopra gives a heartfelt response as Virat Kohli wishes Indian athletes for the Paris Olympics 2024

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Ex-Australia Test skipper Tim Paine has vehemently rebuked England Test captain Ben Stokes for his assert??ions in the Ashes 2023 documentary. Paine issued a stark reminder to the England squad, calling them a ??subpar Test side and emphasizing their need to confront that fact.

Ben Stokes’ address in the documentary

In the documentary released by the ECB, Stokes asserted that his Test team would be eternally remembered by those lucky enough to witness their play. The ECB shared a segment of Stokes’ address delivered in the locker room before the 5th Test match at Old Trafford, Manchester.

“Everything we’ve done up until now isn’t going to stop because we haven’t managed to win the urn back. The reward for our work isn’t what we get, but what we become. And what we have managed to do is, we’ve managed to become a sports team that will live forever in the memory of people who were lucky enough to witness us play cricket,” Stokes told his teammates in the dressing room.

Tim Paine slams Stokes’ remarks

Paine found Stokes’ remarks to be peculiar and out of touch, especially given that the series concluded in a 2-2 draw, allowing Australia to retain the urn. He noted that under Stokes’ and coach Brendon McCullum‘s guidance, England’s Test team is currently ranked ninth in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle and missed qualifying for the f??ina?l in the previous WTC edition.

“I think it was taken slightly out of context because he was talking in a changing room and it was a bigger speech, so I will say that. However, it’s just this continued belief that they’re completely changing the game and they’re doing this amazing stuff and everyone’s going to remember it but they’re not,” Paine told on SEN Tassie Breakfast.

Also READ: Ben S??tokes hits?? back at Australian media over ‘lucky to witness�comment

Paine’s harsh assessment of England

Paine further criticized the English side, highlighting their poor performance in the ongoing WTC, where they are ranked last. He argued that the team’s belief in their own uniqueness and lasting impact is unfounded, as their achievements are not remarkable or memorable. Paine bluntly stated that, in reality, England are an ordinary or even below-average team, urging them to acknowledge and accept their current status rather than overestimating their influence in the cricket world.

“You’re coming dead last in the World Test Championship. You’re not going to be a team that everyone remembers watching and you’re not doing anything outrageously good that we haven’t seen before. You’re an average cricket team. (Actually) you’re at the moment, a below-average cricket team and I think they need to get their head around that a little bit,” Paine added.

Also REA??D: ENG vs WI: England unveils their playing XI for James Anderson’s farewell Test

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The ninth edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will run from June 1 to June 29, and the 2024 champions will be crowned at the Kensington Oval Stadium in Bridgetown, Barbados. England will try to defend their crown and lift the trophy for a record third time. However, they will face stiff competition from 19 other teams, including former champions and new challengers eager to make their mark on the tourname?nt.

Australia’s strong bowling

Australia are considered one of the prime contenders for the title, largely due to their formidable bowling attack. Their squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup boasts three experienced and highly skilled pacers: Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, along with the exceptional leg-spinner Adam Zampa. This combination of bowlers offers a blend of pace, precision, and spin, making Austra??lia a daunting opponent.

Also READ: A??ustralia veteran Nathan Lyon predicts the finalists of T20 Wo?rld Cup 2024

Tim Paine’s insights on Australian attack for T20 World Cup 2024

On ESPN Australia’s “Around the Wicket” show, former Test skipper Tim Paine discussed how Australia should strategize for the World Cup. Paine advocated for his Tasmania teammate Nathan Ellis, emphasizing the variety Ellis brings to the Australian pace attack. According to Paine, Ellis should be one of the first names on Australia’s team sheet due to his effective variations and impressive record in T20 cricket.

Paine suggested a bowling lineup featuring Starc, Ellis and leg-spinner Zampa. He then proposed choosing between the star pacers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins to complete the attack. Paine highlighted Ellis’s 24 wickets in 14 games as evidence of his suitability for the T20 format, particularly with the tournament being played in diverse conditions in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

“I am picking Mitchell Starc. He is my No.1 out-and-out quick. Obviously Adam Zampa. I am going to decide one between Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. I am going to pick one of them. Its not to say that they aren’t outstanding bowlers. They are. But Ellis complements the rest of the attack really well,” Paine said.

“He would be my third quick. I just think he complements the other guys really well. He has got a different skillset, comes from a different angle and height, I think some variety is going to be really important in winning this World Cup. His international record for the opportunities that have been given is outstanding,” Paine concluded.

Australia’s recent success

Australia have enjoyed a stellar run in the past year, clinching both the World Test Championship (WTC) title and the ODI World Cup 2023 Trophy. They will be looking to add ??another t?rophy to their cabinet with a strong performance in the T20 World Cup. Australia are placed in Group B alongside strong teams like England, and they will begin their campaign against Oman on June 6.

Also READ: Aaron Finch predicts ??the semifinalists of T20 World Cup 2024

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The England tour of India 2024 promised a captivating clash between two cricketing giants, igniting discussions and debates among fans, experts, and players alike. With bold statements, heated arguments, and the age-old debate of whether the bazaball approach can conquer all conditions, the series lived up to its ??hype.

However, despite England’s high hopes, India dominated the show, showcasing their prowess in the game. As the series heads towards a possible 4-1 finish in favour of India, former Australian captain Tim Paine has added a controversial twist with his recent comments on the English team and their skipper Ben Stokes.

The ‘India B’ team jibe by Brad Haddin

In a discussion comparing Australia’s defeat to India in the Border-Gavaskar 2020-21 series under his captaincy to England’s ongoing series in India with Brad Haddin on Around the Wicket ?podcast, Paine took a?? bold stance.

The discussion started with Haddin highlighting the absence of key players like Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, KL Rahul, and the recovering Rishabh Pant in the Indian squad?, suggesting that England has been playing? against a weakened Indian side.

“But they have been playing against the Indian B team because there has been no Kohli, no Shami, Bumrah got rested last Test, KL Rahul is out and Rishabh Pant is stil??l making his way back from that accident,�/em> said Haddin.