'4-5 guys put entire Test series at risk': Tim Paine hits out at 'selfish' Indian players

Despite rigorous COVID-19 regulations for the touring side, a few Indian players were spotted dining out in a restaurant during India's 2020-21 trip to Australia. The event drew a lot of condemnation from the local media, who blamed Indian players for endangering the series. The players involved in the controversy were Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, and Navdeep Saini as they were seen eating at a restaurant in Melbourne after winning the second Test match.

It occurred when a fan posted a video on social media claiming to have paid for the Indian players' meal and was seen hugging one of them. After the incident grabbed the netizens' attention, the fan changed his mind and stated that the Indian players kept their distance during their brief meeting. The five players were placed in isolation as a result of the incident. However, former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has now slammed the Indian players for their irresponsible behaviour.

Paine hit out at the Indian players, calling them "selfish" and claiming that they were willing to jeopardise the entire series for a bowl of Nando's.

"I mean those 4-5 guys put the whole Test series at risk. For what? For a bowl of Nando’s, chips or wherever they went, like I just find that pretty selfish to be honest," Paine said in the docu-series 'Bandon Mein Tha Dum'. 

Pat Cummins says his teammates were 'annoyed'

Australian fast-bowler Pat Cummins also expressed his annoyance at the Indian cricketers over the incident, saying that the incident "annoyed" a few of his teammates, especially the ones who had to spend Christmas away from their families. Cummins said the incident irked them because they were sacrificing a lot for the series while the members of the Indian team, according to him, were flouting the COVID-19 regulations and not taking it as seriously. 

"It did annoy quite a few of the boys. Especially the ones who had to spend a Christmas without their families. That was sacrificing quite a bit to be there on that tour to hear that the other team were flouting the rules and not taking it as seriously," Cummins said. 

Meanwhile, senior Indian player Ajinkya Rahane, who captained the side during the series, has defended his teammates, claiming that those who were photographed and appeared to be breaking COVID-19 rules, were actually waiting for their food inside the restaurant due to bad weather. Rahane dubbed the story reported by Australian media as false news. 

Image: Twitter/@NavalGeekSingh/AP