The young Indian wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant is enjoying his first ever Australian tour. After Australian captain Tim Paine, who is also his team’s wicket-keeper, sledged Pant while he was batting on Day 3 of the ongoing Melbourne Test, it was Pant’s turn to give it back on Day 4 and it was lovely watching the banter between the two wicket-keepers. Even former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson, who otherwise is known for expressing strong opinions on the game besides, of course, Virat Kohli, was smiling.
Pant termed Paine as a “temporary captain” who only knew to talk than doing anything else and that India did not have to do anything to see his back. The youngster was just replying to what Paine had told him on Friday, reminding him of getting dropped from India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against Australia and invited him to join Hobart Hurricanes, a franchise in the Big Bash League (BBL).
WATCH: Pant-Paine Banter Continues
here is the video of the banter:
It was Rishabh Pant's turn for some fun on the stump mic today… #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/RS8I6kI55f
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 29, 2018
Pant’s taunting his Australian counterpart as “temporary captain” from behind the stumps amused the former pacer Mitchell Johnson who tweeted calling it “funny”.
This is also funny 😁 https://t.co/8UbmXfg0VM
— Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) December 29, 2018
Paine took over as Australia’s captain following the ban of Australia’s regular skipper Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March this year and continues to be the captain in the longer format although the reins in the ODIs went to Aaron Finch, who also leads in the T20Is, recently. Paine has struggled as a skipper and has managed to lead Australia to just one win so far which came against India in Perth earlier this month.
Pant was also seen involved in poking Australian batsman Usman Khawaja in the first Test in Adelaide after the latter played a blockathon, saying not all could be Cheteshwar Pujara who hit a match-winning century in that match. Paine eventually was caught by Pant in the second innings in Melbourne off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja as Australia slumped further in their chase of 399 to win.
