'Pujara used to irritate us': Tim Paine recalls Australia's biggest headache against India
toi
newspoint|22-09-2026
Puducherry: Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine is currently working with Australia A , who will take on India A in the first four-day game in Puducherry starting Tuesday. With Australia preparing for the next Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Jan-Mar 2027), Paine spoke to TOI about the importance of exposing young players to Indian conditions, the next generation of Australian bowlers and his memories of facing Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant .
How important are these ‘A’ tours for Australia?
Very important. That’s why we’re investing quite a lot of time and resources into getting the next group of cricketers over here, whether it’s through Australia A, the MRF Foundation or some of the work we do with younger players. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a really important one for us. It’s been more than 20 years since we’ve won it in India. The more times we can get here, acclimatise to the weather, food and different batting and bowling conditions and develop game plans, the better.
India A have players like Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan . How do you see the contest?
We want to see how our players adapt to them. There’s a lot of footage available, but if it was as simple as saying, ‘This is his weakness and this is how you get him out’, they wouldn’t be the player they are now. It’s an amazing experience for our young bowlers to bowl to players of that quality in these conditions.
Which Indian batter was hardest to dismiss during your captaincy?
(Cheteshwar) Pujara. He was hard to get out. He had great concentration and discipline and was tough. He used to irritate us. We were just trying to get him out. Pat Cummins eventually figured him out a bit and got him caught behind.
How do you remember Rishabh Pant’s famous Gabba innings?
I loved the way he came to Australia and played, how aggressive and confident he was. That’s something we’re trying to instil in this young group, the belief that you can go out and change games. That’s what Rishabh did against high-class bowlers. He threw them off their lines and lengths and put them under pressure. It was a great way to play, and a lot of the time I try and encourage our players to do the same thing.
Are you surprised Pant is not part of India’s white-ball set-up?
I haven’t watched enough of his white-ball cricket to say. I know his IPL over the last couple of years hasn’t been brilliant, but if he’s playing well, he could be playing in most white-ball teams around the world. It’s probably about capturing that form again and taking his red-ball cricket into white-ball cricket. There’s no reason why someone as skilled and talented as him, if he’s playing well, wouldn’t be a fantastic white-ball player.
What are Australia’s chances in the next BGT?
I think Australia have a good chance. Batting-wise, we probably haven’t scored as many runs as we would have liked in the last couple of summers, but there are still some high-quality players in the team. Either way, Australia will be very well prepared and I can’t see any reason why the Aussies can’t win.
How important are these ‘A’ tours for Australia?
Very important. That’s why we’re investing quite a lot of time and resources into getting the next group of cricketers over here, whether it’s through Australia A, the MRF Foundation or some of the work we do with younger players. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a really important one for us. It’s been more than 20 years since we’ve won it in India. The more times we can get here, acclimatise to the weather, food and different batting and bowling conditions and develop game plans, the better.
India A have players like Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan . How do you see the contest?
We want to see how our players adapt to them. There’s a lot of footage available, but if it was as simple as saying, ‘This is his weakness and this is how you get him out’, they wouldn’t be the player they are now. It’s an amazing experience for our young bowlers to bowl to players of that quality in these conditions.
Which Indian batter was hardest to dismiss during your captaincy?
(Cheteshwar) Pujara. He was hard to get out. He had great concentration and discipline and was tough. He used to irritate us. We were just trying to get him out. Pat Cummins eventually figured him out a bit and got him caught behind.
How do you remember Rishabh Pant’s famous Gabba innings?
I loved the way he came to Australia and played, how aggressive and confident he was. That’s something we’re trying to instil in this young group, the belief that you can go out and change games. That’s what Rishabh did against high-class bowlers. He threw them off their lines and lengths and put them under pressure. It was a great way to play, and a lot of the time I try and encourage our players to do the same thing.
Are you surprised Pant is not part of India’s white-ball set-up?
I haven’t watched enough of his white-ball cricket to say. I know his IPL over the last couple of years hasn’t been brilliant, but if he’s playing well, he could be playing in most white-ball teams around the world. It’s probably about capturing that form again and taking his red-ball cricket into white-ball cricket. There’s no reason why someone as skilled and talented as him, if he’s playing well, wouldn’t be a fantastic white-ball player.
What are Australia’s chances in the next BGT?
I think Australia have a good chance. Batting-wise, we probably haven’t scored as many runs as we would have liked in the last couple of summers, but there are still some high-quality players in the team. Either way, Australia will be very well prepared and I can’t see any reason why the Aussies can’t win.
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