Australian Test skipper Tim Paine says helium "absolutely loved" the societal media banter this week successful the aftermath of his caller comments astir this summer's Ashes series.
Paine has made headlines connected some sides of the world, aft his remarks past week that the bid would statesman with oregon without England skipper Joe Root, who until precocious had refused to perpetrate to travelling to Australia.
Paine was branded "irrelevant" by erstwhile England batter Rob Key, whose ain mediocre vocation lasted conscionable 15 matches, during which helium averaged lone 31.
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"Who was that?" Paine asked connected SEN Hobart, earlier answering his ain question.
"That was Rob Key. Speaking of irrelevant.
"You cognize it's engaged erstwhile you perpetually refresh however galore times you've been mentioned (on societal media).
"You can't conscionable flick through. I person been belted, each day, 24 hours a day, and I person perfectly loved it."
The Barmy Army entered the fray during the week, erstwhile they tweeted a stat comparing Root and Paine's comparative batting performances.
"If Joe Root scores 80 much runs than Tim Paine successful the archetypal 2 Ashes Tests, his 2021 Test runs volition beryllium higher than Paine's vocation Test runs," they wrote.
Paine has made 1534 Test runs, portion Root has made 1455 runs this twelvemonth alone.
It's a examination that Paine recovered laughable.
"I'd similar to accidental 'apples and oranges' but it's not adjacent that," Paine said.
"The Barmy Army ticker a batch of cricket, you would deliberation they would recognize the crippled a small spot amended than that.
"I've got 1534 much runs than the Barmy Army"
Root, of course, bats astatine fig 4 for England, portion Paine's archetypal relation is arsenic the team's wicketkeeper.
"Joe Root - if helium wasn't scoring much runs than maine they'd person a superior issue, wouldn't they?" Paine asked.
"They trust connected him to triumph games of cricket with the bat, I'm a tiny portion successful our jigsaw.
"The Barmy Army bask poking amusive astatine me, but that's fine."
Travel restrictions are apt to forestall the Barmy Army supporting England successful their accustomed numbers this summer, a information that the Australian skipper said was disappointing.
"It's really a spot bittersweet to beryllium honest, due to the fact that it does truly adhd to the atmosphere, and they are fantabulous astatine what they do," helium said.
"Granted, they bash re-use a batch of chants from the English Premier League, I don't deliberation they've travel up with excessively overmuch archetypal successful the past 20 years.
"But they're excellent, superb to person astatine a cricket ground."
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