Ravichandran Ashwin Reveals Story Behind 'That Will Be Your Last Series' Sledging Episode With Tim Paine

Ravichandran Ashwin will remember the 2020-21 Australian tour for a long period. From the perspective of Indian fans, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy match between India and Australia in 2020-21 was historic.

There were several scenes that will be imprinted in the memories of cricket fans for a long time, whether it was India’s comeback from a 36-all-out humiliation in Adelaide, Rishabh Pant’s counter-attacking batting, or the epic win at the Gabba. 

While several Indian players put in outstanding performances, there were a few verbal brawls that made the news. Ravichandran Ashwin and Tim Paine were one of them.

Ravichandran Ashwin Shares How It All Started

It all began when Paine told Ashwin that he “can’t wait to get him to the Gabba”. In reply, Ashwin said that he “can’t wait to take him to India which would be his last series”. 

Ashwin told the tale behind the entire sequence from the third Test in the Voot docu-series “Bandon Mein Tha Dum.” 

“I think Vihari will remember why I said that as well. Because we had a discussion on the way Tim Paine was batting through the series. I kept telling these guys and we got a very different sort of a short leg position, which was forward short leg and then we usually have a leg slip.

We had a chat… Rahane, myself, Vihari and we said, ‘Pujara will generally stand at leg slip but this guy won’t stand with the helmet. Let’s put him somewhere else and get this guy under the lid’,” Ashwin said during the trailer launch of the docu-series. 

“We had this conversation and parked him there in a very awkward position and he (Paine) actually nicked off there. We had a celebration and I told Vihari, ‘This guy better not come to India. If he actually comes to India, he will be going there every single time.

At the end of the day, he was having a go at us when we were batting and it just came out of my mind because we had a conversation like that. It was very instantaneous,” he further added. 

Tim Pains Continues War Of Words With Ravichandran Ashwin

Sledging attempts were not restricted to the third Test. “Are you a selector here as well?” Paine asked Ashwin in the second Test in Sydney. 

“At least my teammates like me, d**khead. I’ve got a lot more Indian friends than you do. “Even your teammates think you’re a goose. Don’t they? Every one of them,” he continued. 

Ashwin had replied saying: “Tell me when you’re done,” he said. “I’ll talk all day, mate. Wait until you get to the Gabba, pal,” Paine responded. 

Together with Hanuma Vihari, R Ashwin produced an incredible blockathon to draw the Sydney Test and take the series into Brisbane for the decider. The heroics of the Indian team from the tour are still celebrated by the lovers of the game in the country. 

Also Read: ENG vs NZ: New Zealand Skipper Kane Williamson Rejoins Blackcaps Squad After Completing Isolation Period