'He needs to get a diploma in DRS' - Tim Paine trolled after poor DRS challenge against Mayank Agarwal

Tim Paine, the Australian skipper, has been a recipient of severe backlash during the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy. The 36-year-old has led the Aussies Test team for nearly three years now and his on-field behaviour has been questioned a few times. In the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, he got himself tangled in a controversy with Ravi Ashwin during the fifth day’s play.

At a time when the Aussies were desperate to get rid of Hanuma Vihari and Ashwin, Paine resorted to sledging the latter. He even used abusive terms, a step that didn’t go down well with a number of experts. Veteran England fast bowler Stuart Broad said that Paine shouldn’t be getting away after the language he used. Paine later admitted that he got carried away in the heat of the moment.

Later Greg Chappell, in a column, stated how Paine needs to show a bit of character when put under extreme pressure. The legendary batsman said that a captain’s role comes with a massive responsibility. In the meantime, amidst all the backlash and criticism, Paine has again come under fire, this time in the fourth and final Test against India at The Gabba in Brisbane.

Tim Paine faces the heat yet again

During the third day’s play of the current Test, Paine resorted to using the DRS against Mayank Agarwal, who made his comeback after missing the Sydney Test. In the 49th over of the innings, Pat Cummins bowled one down the leg side and the batsman missed the flick shot. The Australian fielders appealed in unison, but umpire Paul Wilson didn’t raise his finger.

Paine decided to send the decision upstairs, confident that Agarwal had touched the ball with his bat. Replays showed that the leather brushed the batter’s thigh pad on its way to the keeper. The ball was nowhere near Agarwal’s bat. Hence the on-field decision stayed and Australia lost a review.

Agarwal, in the end, got out to Josh Hazlewood after scoring 38 runs off 75 balls with three fours and one six. In the meantime, Twitterati again took a dig at Paine for his decision to take the DRS.

Here’s how the netizens reacted: