David Lloyd Criticises Tim Paine For Crossing The Line In 3rd Test

David Lloyd, former England cricketer-turned-commentator has slammed Australian Test skipper Tim Paine for his needless sledging against the Indian batsman on last Day 5 of the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Tim Paine was continuously involved in a verbal banter with the opposition batsmen, especially Ravichandran Ashwin, and passed some derogatory comments which didn’t go down well with David Lloyd.

David Lloyd : Tim Paine Has To Set An Example

David Lloyd while writing in his column for The Daily Mail explained how Tim Paine is not setting the right example as Australia’s Test captain through such unacceptable behaviour for which the commentator has lost all respect.

“It’s up to Paine now to control his players, but first he has to set an example. Put it like this: if someone had talked to me like he did to Ravichandran Ashwin, I’d have lost all respect for them,” David Lloyd wrote.

David Lloyd believes that although teams want to be competitive against each other in Test arena, there is a certain line or limit that should not be crossed. He reckons Ravichandran Ashwin will be unwilling to behave in a friendly manner off the field with Australian skipper Tim Paine among other Australians after their antics on Day 5 of the Sydney Test.

David Lloyd: Australia Just Don’t Seem To Learn Even After The Sandpaper Incident In 2018

Australian cricket had been in a turmoil and gone through probably their darkest period after the likes of Steve Smith and David Warner were banned for 12 months each, following their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal which is more infamously known as ‘sandpapergate scandal’ for use of sandpaper in 2018 to rough up one side to enable its a swing in flight.

Thus, David Lloyd finds it baffling to understand how the Australians haven’t taken a lesson and continue to remain arrogant in their behaviour, despite having learnt a hard lesson three years ago which saw Tim Paine himself getting the captaincy role.

“How can Ashwin want to share a drink with the Australians after Paine was trash-talking him the way he did? You’d have thought the Australians would watch their Ps and Qs after that farce with the sandpaper. But they just don’t seem to learn. What on earth is wrong with them?” David Lloyd wrote.

Although Tim Paine tried his level best to disrupt the concentration of the Indian batsmen, it worked against him as he dropped three catches behind stumps, including one of Hanuma Vihari late on Day 5. Team India managed to save the SCG Test and keep the series levelled at 1-1.

While this draw will boost the morale of the visitors who are already depleted after losing key players to injuries, the Aussies will rue the dropped chances which stopped them from winning at the SCG.

However, they may take heart from the fact that the venue for the final Test at Brisbane is a fortress for them, having not lost there since 1988. The fourth and final Test will be played at the Gabba in Brisbane from January 15 and India will have to reshuffle the team following a spate of injuries.