Ranking the top 5 sledges and banter from Australia-India Test series

Australia v India - 2nd Test: Day 3
Australia v India - 2nd Test: Day 3

The Indian cricket team created history by becoming the first Asian side to record a Test series victory in Australia. Led by Virat Kohli, India won the series 2-1 after the final day's play of the fourth Test at the SCG was called off due to bad weather. However, if anything, India would have managed to make it 3-1 given the position they were in.

After winning the first Test at Adelaide, India were not able to replicate their performance at Perth, which led to Australia levelling the series. However, India came back strong to dominate Australia at Melbourne before finishing it off at Sydney.

Apart from the magnificent performances on the field by the players from both countries, there was plenty of banter amongst them as well, while on the field. The stump mic caught all of this and the fans watching on TV were treated to some hilarious conversations between the players. A few of these conversations, especially involving Australian captain Tim Paine and Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant will be remembered by fans for years to come.

So, in this article, we rank the top 5 sledges/banter between the players during the Test series.

#5 Nathan Lyon gets under the skin of Hanuma Vihari and Ishant Sharma - Perth

The Aussies were extremely high on confidence during the second Test in Perth as they were cruising to victory.

During the second innings of the match, when they were closing in on the win, Nathan Lyon decided to have a little bit of fun with a few of the Indian batsmen.

It started off with Hanuma Vihari, who was trying to revive India's innings. At the end of his over, Lyon went up to Vihari and said, “Where are you going for your Christmas holiday? I hear Hamilton Island is a nice place."

Later on, with just 2 wickets to go, Lyon had a go at Ishant Sharma when he was taking his guard at the crease.

“Ishant what do you want? What are you looking for?” Lyon asked Ishant. Australia would go on to win the match by 146 runs to level the series 1-1.

#4 You can't seriously like him as a bloke, Tim Paine asks Murali Vijay - Perth

Murali Vijay
Murali Vijay

Virat Kohli and Tim Paine had a few run-ins with each other during the first two Tests of the series. In fact, Kohli came extremely close to "bumping" into Paine while he was taking a single.

This led to the Australian captain trying to get under the skin of Indian opening batsman Murali Vijay. During the second Test in Perth, after Kohli's dismissal when India were struggling at 48-3, Paine was heard asking Vijay, “Murali, I know he’s your captain but you can’t seriously like him? You can’t seriously like the bloke.”

Vijay was dismissed shortly after that and wasn't able to get India back into the game.

#3 Rishabh Pant's reply to Tim Paine's babysitting sledge - Melbourne

Rishabh Pant and Tim Paine had few hilarious exchanges over the course of the series. It began with Paine getting in Pant's ear regarding his non-selection in India's ODI squad. He recommended that Pant babysit his kids while he takes his wife to the movies.

Pant made sure that he remembered what Paine said to him and gave it back to him while he was batting in the second innings.

Speaking to Ravindra Jadeja about Paine, Pant said,

"We have got a special guest here. Have you heard the word temporary captain ever? You [Jadeja] don't need anything to get him out. Come on lads. He loves to talk, that's the only thing he can do. Only talking, talking."

A few days later when the Indian side were invited by the Australian Prime Minister for a function in Sydney, Pant took the 'babysitting' jibe to another level as he was seen posing with Paine's wife and kids for a picture. Later, Tim Paine's wife took to Instagram to post the picture with the caption 'Best babysitter.'

Image taken from Bonnie Paine's Instagram Profile
Image
taken
from Bonnie Paine's Instagram Profile

#2 Tim Paine speaks about IPL with Rohit Sharma - Melbourne

Tim Paine and Virat Kohli
Tim Paine and Virat Kohli

During the first innings of the third Test at Melbourne, Tim Paine tried to get under the skin of Rohit Sharma, who was under pressure to keep his spot in the Test side.

Trying to get a wicket just before tea, the Aussie captain began a conversation with Aaron Finch, who was fielding at short-leg.

"It’s been a toss up for me between Royals and Indians, and if Rohit hits a six here, I am changing to Mumbai," Paine said to Finch while Rohit listened. A few moments later, Paine said, "too many Poms at the Royals," referring to Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler.

While Rohit Sharma did not acknowledge Paine's sledging, he did open up about it later on.

"I was hearing that but when I'm batting, I just focus on the job at hand. But, I had a chat with Ajinkya Rahane and I joked that if he (Paine) gets a hundred here, I will put in a word about him to my boss at Mumbai Indians and we'll buy him. Looks like he's a fan of Mumbai," said Rohit.

#1 Tim Paine asks Rishabh Pant to babysit his kids

Tim Paine and Rishabh Pant
Tim Paine and Rishabh Pant

The entire 'babysitting' saga began on Day 3 in Melbourne when Rishabh Pant was at the crease as India were struggling in the second innings.

Pat Cummins had ripped through the top-order and India were in a spot of bother, despite having a healthy lead at the time.

Tim Paine grabbed the opportunity to get under Pant's skin by taking a dig at him regarding his non-selection in the ODI squad.

"Tell you what, big MS is back in the one-day squad, we might get him (Pant) down to the Hurricanes, this bloke. We need a batter," to the silly point fielder Aaron Finch for which the opener said, "not if he keeps blocking them," Paine said to Pant.

"Fancy that, Pantsy? Surely, extend your little Aussie holiday. Beautiful town Hobart, too. We'll get you a nice apartment on the waterfront. We'll have him over for dinner. Can you babysit? I'll take the wife to the movies one night, you'll look after the kids," he continued.

This was arguably the best and most hilarious piece of sledging throughout the Test series.

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Edited by Aadya Sharma