Former Australia captain and wicketkeeper batter Tim Paine doesn’t regret sledging Ravichandran Ashwin during the third Test of the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, saying he did it to unsettle the India off-spinner, who was “annoying” him by getting his wicket frequently.

After losing the series opener at Adelaide, India defied all odds to clinch the series 2-1. Ashwin played a vital role in drawing the third Test in Sydney, batting for 42.4 overs with an aching back alongside Hanuma Vihari.

After failing to break Ashwin’s resolve with the bat, Paine started poking the Indian from behind the stumps. “I can’t wait to get you to the Gabba, Ash, I’ll tell you what, woohoo,” Paine said ahead of an over from off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

But Paine does not regret it.

“No, I don’t because to this day Ashwin didn’t play in that (Brisbane) Test match. I wasn’t talking to the Indians, I was talking to him. I said we cannot wait to get you to the Gabba. “...Because he was annoying us, fair to say. He is a fantastic cricketer. He was getting me out all the time and that was annoying me as well,” Paine said in a podcast of ‘thegradecricketer’.

Ashwin too replied in kind to Paine, saying: “Just like we wanna get you to India. That will be your last series.”

Paine said the sledge was aimed at the Indian spinner. “But no, that was purely directed straight at him and he pulled out of that Test match because of back spasm.”

“Did I had a great game in that match? No, but I fronted up. Actually day one of the Test match he (Ashwin) was jogging laps. Those back spasms couldn’t have been that bad,” he added.