India's Ravinchandran Ashwin has had the last laugh in his duel with Australian captain Tim Paine.
During Ashwin's match-saving knock in the third test in Sydney, Paine was captured by the stump mic hurling abuse at the spinner.
"We can't wait to get you to the Gabba, Ash," Paine said, referring to the Brisbane venue for the fourth match, where Australia hadn't lost a test since 1988.
"At least my teammates like me, d***head. I’ve got a lot more Indian friends than you do. Even your teammates think you’re a goose. Don’t they. Every one.”
When Ashwin asked Paine to "tell me when you’re done", the skipper replied: "I can talk all day mate. You wait until you get to the Gabba, pal."
But Paine's taunts came back to haunt him, as under-manned India battled to secure a famous victory in the fourth test on Tuesday to secure a famous series win.
Ashwin was one of several first-choice Indian players unavailable to play in Brisbane due to injury, but wasn't going to miss out on the chance to rub salt in Paine's wounds.
“Good evening from Gabba!!" Ashwin tweeted, tagging Paine's account in his post.
"I am sorry I couldn’t play here but thanks for hosting us and playing some hard cricket during these tough times. We will remember this series forever!"
Even Ashwin's wife Prithi Narayanan took the opportunity to fire a jab Paine's way.
"SEE YOU AT THE GABBA, MATE," she wrote.
Plenty of other pundits savoured the chance to have a laugh at Paine's expense, including former England internationals Michael Vaughan and Darren Gough.
The defeat has heaped pressure on Paine's position as captain, with former players criticising his conduct and his tactics in the third-test draw.
While the acrimony will only grow after Brisbane, 36-year-old Paine said he would not voluntarily hand the captaincy to a team mate, no matter that it might help him prolong his career.
"I still feel like I want to get better," Paine said. "We've got some unfinished business ... and I intend to finish that.
"I've said many times in the last two or three years that I don't look past the next series.
"I'm loving it. I'm going to cop heaps of flak, I know it.
"That's what I signed up for ... I'm totally fine with that."
