Tim Paine has capped a dirty day at the SCG by dropping a third catch after engaging in a slanging match with Ravichandran Ashwin, earning the ire of India legend Sunil Gavaskar.
Paine was fined 15 per cent of his match fee after being found guilty of dissent on day three of the third Test, when he appealed for some "f***ing consistency" from on-field umpire Paul Wilson while raging at a third-umpire verdict.
Australia's wicketkeeper has won praise for driving cultural change within the team since being appointed captain in the aftermath of the Cape Town cheating scandal.
But Ashwin and Gavaskar took exception with Paine's antics in the final session of the dramatic draw at the SCG.
Ashwin, stationed at the striker's end as he dug in to save the Test, pulled away on multiple occasions because he was unhappy with Paine's chirping during one of Nathan Lyon's 46 overs.
Stump microphones picked up some of Paine's verbals.
"Can't wait to get you to the Gabba, Ash," Paine quipped.
Ashwin fired back: "Just like we want to get you to India, it'll be your last series."
In response, Paine said: "Maybe, are you a selector here as well? At least my teammates like me, dickhead."
Paine then boasted of having "more Indian friends than you do".
"Even your teammates think you're a goose. Don't they? Every one of them," he told Ashwin.
"How many IPL teams wanted you, when you asked every single one of them to have you?""
Gavaskar, whose name adorns the trophy the rivals are currently vying for, was decidedly unimpressed.
"Frankly, it's ridiculous," he said during commentary on the Seven Network.
"It's unnecessary."
Ashwin had the last laugh, finishing 39 not out from 128 deliveries.
Paine dropped his third catch of the day, having dived in front of first slip David Warner, soon after the spat.
The 36-year-old also put down catches offered by Rishabh Pant on three and 56.
Paine attracted the attention of match referee David Boon for Saturday's rant, which came after a review went against Australia.
The Tasmanian could have potentially been suspended for the final Test against India in Brisbane if the incident was graded more seriously, rather than a level one breach of the code of conduct.
