Australia vs India 2020-21: Tim Paine Doesn't Play In IPL So He Can Confront Indians, Says Mohammad Kaif 1
Tim Paine. Image Credit: Getty Images.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 has blurred the arch-rivalry between the two different national players. And the same is being witnessed in the ongoing India tour of Australia. The players were seen exchanging smiles while friendly gestures were seen between the two fierce opposition. Many have criticized this friendly attitude of players.

But Mohammad Kaif believes that Tim Paine will be ahead to confront Indians in the much-awaited four-match Test series. He reckons that none of Aaron Finch, David Warner and Pat Cummins will fight because they play in IPL. But their Test captain Tim Paine has never played in the cash-rich league, and there is no chance for him to feature in the future, so he going to come bluntly against the visitors.

“All the players who play in the IPL, whether it is (Aaron) Finch, (David) Warner or (Pat) Cummins, none of them are going to fight now. Tim Paine does not play, he knows that he is not going to come to India, he does not have anything to do with the IPL, so he can confront the Indians,” the 40-year-old said on the Sony Sports network.

Tim Paine might be dropped after the Test series against India: Mohammad Kaif

Tim Paine and Virat Kohli
Tim Paine and Virat Kohli. Reuters.

Further, Mohammad Kaif gave a shocking statement about Tim Pain’s future. He stated that by the end of the four-match Test series against India, the wicket-keeper batsman might be dropped from the Test squad. The former Indian cricketer reasoned that Paine was given captaincy when Australia in a dire situation but his batting has been disappointing. If he doesn’t score in the coming series, Australia might show him the door.

“I feel by the time the Test series is over, Tim Paine would have been dropped. He is not able to score runs with the bat. He just got the captaincy because Smith and Warner had the problem at the time. They were banned, so he was made the captain in compulsion. Now that they have come back, if he doesn’t score, then his spot in the XI will also be difficult. So it will be better if he concentrates on batting and keeping only this time,” Kaif concluded.

Tim Paine,
Tim Paine and Steve Smith. Image Credit: Twitter.

In his last ten innings, Tim Paine has managed just two fifty-plus scores (0, 58, 23*, 1, 21, 13, 39, 0, 79, 35). Therefore, with both Warner and Smith back in the team, it would be difficult for Paine to get going without adding runs to the scoreboard.

Meanwhile, the Test series will begin on December 18 with the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. The last three Test matches will be played in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide respectively.