The 71-year-old believes Australia had a golden opportunity to take a 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by bowling out the visitors on the final day. However, Team India showed incredible resilience, and despite their injury woes, batted out 131 overs to save the SCG Test.

Sunil Gavaskar felt Tim Paine’s field placements and bowling changes could have been much better. Instead, the 36-year-old was focusing more on disturbing the concentration of the Indian batsmen, especially Ravichandran Ashwin, through his sledging.

Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar explained why he would not be surprised if Tim Paine is axed from Australian captaincy after the end of the ongoing series.

Gavaskar continued in this regard:

Tim Paine’s dropped catches allowed India to escape with a draw

Apart from Tim Paine’s uninspired captaincy, Sunil Gavaskar also questioned the 36-year-old’s wicketkeeping ability. Considered as the best wicketkeeper in Australia, Tim Paine dropped three catches on Day 5.

Two of them were regulation chances of Rishabh Pant off Nathan Lyon’s bowling. The southpaw scored a blistering 97 to put Australia under pressure and raise hopes of an unlikely Indian win, which was eventually not to be.

With a little less than ten overs remaining in the Test, Tim Paine dropped his third catch, this time the batsman being Hanuma Vihari. Sunil Gavaskar believes the Australian skipper should have let the ball go, as it was heading straight into the hands of first slip.

Sunil Gavaskar believes Tim Paine’s unnecessary jibes at the Indian batsmen suggested that he was frustrated and running out of ideas. The 36-year-old couldn’t keep calm in crunch situations, and that helped India escape with a draw despite having their backs against the wall.

Tim Paine’s verbal duels with Ashwin on Day 5 was an indication that the Australian tactics didn’t work on Day 5 of the SCG Test.

It remains to be seen how the hosts respond in what will now be the series decider in Brisbane. The fourth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins on January 15 at the Gabba in Brisbane.

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