IND vs AUS | Brisbane Test may get moved due to India’s power in world cricket, feels Tim Paine

There were reports that India opposed playing in Brisbane due to the hard quarantine rule imposed on the side, even though Cricket Australia had clarified before the tour that all the players would be treated as normal Australians during the tour. India claimed not to accept the same and asked for a venue change, but Tim Paine didn’t take kindly to that, hinting at India using their unmatched power in world cricket to change their venue.

"I wouldn't say [there's] frustration, I'd just say a bit of uncertainty because when you hear things like that coming, particularly from India, who we know hold a lot of power in world cricket, it's likely that it could happen. So for us we just want to be really clear on this Test match. We know the protocols, we know what is expected of us. We're going to focus on that this week then whatever happens next week, happens, and we'll adapt to it,” Paine said in a virtual press conference, reported ESPN Cricinfo.

"But we're not too fussed. We're not buying into where the Test is being played. As far as we're aware it is at the Gabba, but as I said in the team meeting the other day, we couldn't care less. If you rang us up and said it's in Mumbai tomorrow, we'd get on a plane and play it. That's the way we are looking at it."

In the second Test, Matthew Wade and Rishabh Pant involved themselves in a mini banter - which was absent in the first Test. With Virat Kohli and Steve Smith sharing a screen to discuss cricket and life, a lot was down to the respect both teams share. While admitting the same, Paine further added that tensions are starting to boil now that the Test series reaches its third match.

"It's been unusually tame, the start of this series and I think it's because both teams are just happy to be back playing Test cricket, there's been such a big break and there's a lot of respect between the two teams no doubt about that," Paine said. 

"But [they are] very competitive sides. It's boiling away, there's some stuff starting to happen, a bit of chat starting to happen, so I think this Test is going to be fascinating not just from a cricket point of view, but I think there's a bit of tension starting to boil under the surface with unnamed sources coming out from their camp saying where they want to play the fourth Test and where they don't want to go. I think it's starting to grind a few people, so we'll see how it goes."

The New Year Test, which will turn pink to raise money for the McGrath Foundation, will kick start from January 7 in Sydney.