Sick of ball tampering talk, Australian skipper Paine says
Australia skipper Tim Paine says he is sick of all the balltampering talk and it is time to move on and focus on halting powerhouse India from winning their first Test series Down Under.
The scandal in March has haunted Australian cricket, with Steve Smith and David Warner banned and a swathe of executives from the governing body axed or falling on their swords in the aftermath.
With the world’s No. 1 Test nation awaiting them in Adelaide in the first of four Tests from tomorrow, Paine said it was time to start looking forward.
“There has been so much talk in the last 10 months that everyone is sick of it,” he said ahead of Australia’s first home Test since “sandpapergate”, where Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft tried to alter the ball in South Africa. “There has been so much talk, it’s time for action. There are 11 guys going out and trying their best who will be so keen because of what has gone on.” The odds are stacked in favour of the tourists — they top the Test rankings and boast the world’s best batsman in Virat Kohli, plus a high-class pace bowling attack. Throw in Australia being without Smith and Warner, and it points to India starting as overwhelming favourites.
The Indians have never won a Test series in Australia and if pace bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are firing the tourists could be in for another tough time.