Published 15:26 IST, November 25th 2019
Tim Paine takes a dig at Virat Kohli, hopes that he agrees to play a D/N Test Down Under
Australian Captain Tim Paine took a dig at Virat Kohli and at the same time, hoped that he would agree to play a pink-ball Test match in Australia next year.
Tim Paine has been leading Australia pretty well in the Tests after Steve Smith was sacked from captaincy due to his involvement in the infamous ball-tampering scandal in March 2018. The Paine-led Aussie side had lost their first-ever Test series at home against India last year but under him, Australia avoided an Ashes series defeat against arch-rivals England for the first time since 2001. While India had won their first-ever pink-ball Test match against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, even the Aussies had decimated Pakistan in Brisbane as Tim Paine had a very special request for his Indian counterpart Virat Kohli but in a cheeky manner.
Tim Paine takes a dig at Virat Kohli
While addressing the media after beating Pakistan at the 'Gabba', Australian skipper Tim Paine in a cheeky manner hoped that Virat Kohli would agree to play a pink-ball Test match in Australia next year.
''We'll certainly try and we'll have to run that by Virat. We'll get an answer by him at some stage I'm sure," said Tim Paine as the press box erupted in laughter.
When asked whether they will be hoping to play the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, here's what Paine had to say. ''That's where we like to start our summer and it has been for a long, long time except for last summer. As I said, we'll ask Virat and see if we can get his permission to play here and maybe even get a pink-ball Test if he's in a good mood. So we'll wait and see.
Meanwhile, during the post-match press conference post-Bangladesh win, Virat Kohli said that if the team gets the permission then they are ready to play the pink-ball Test against anyone and that too anywhere.
Australia smother Pakistan
Australia extended their unbeaten streak at the Gabba in Brisbane as the clutched a comprehensive inning and five-run win over Pakistan in the first Test on Sunday. Babar Azam's ton and Mohammad Rizwan's knock of 95 runs went in vain as the hosts bowled out Pakistan for 335 runs. Australia's Marnus Labuschagne was adjudged the Man of the Match for his spectacular knock of 185 runs in the first innings. With this win, Australia extended their winning streak at the Gabba in Brisbane to 32, with no team beating them at the venue since 1988. Australia's pace attack left the Pakistan batsmen rattled as Josh Hazlewood added four scalps to his name while Mitchell Starc added three to his tally. Pat Cummins took two wickets while spinner Nathan Lyon managed to add one wicket to his name.
Updated 17:11 IST, November 25th 2019