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Australia Test opener Matthew Wade and India wicket keeper Rishabh Pant have been locked in a verbal battle almost as entertaining as the contest unfolding at the MCG on a lively Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test.
As the 16th over neared its end, Wade could be heard taunting Pant about his weight, saying, “You’re 25 kilos overweight. Are you 20 kilos, 25 or 30 kilos overweight?”
While Wade would continue to be pushed by India’s bowling attack, Pant continued to chortle and encourage his teammates with his trademark vigour, which seemed to have irked Wade by the 24th over.
“You’re looking at yourself on the big screen again? Very funny watching yourself on the screen,” Wade chimed to Pant after one delivery.
Later, as Pant spurred on Ravichandran Ashwin on the final ball of the session, a leave from Wade saw he and Pant come face-to-face, ending one instalment of a battle that had fans entertained.
“He just laughs all the time. He doesn’t really say much, he’s just always laughing at you,” Wade told Fox Cricket as he was walking off the ground.
“I don’t know what’s so funny, it must be my batting.”
Australian cricket great Michael Hussey said the banter was likely to spur Wade on in his efforts to bring his side back into the contest.
“He’s a feisty little character and it almost gets him up more for the contest,” he said on Fox Cricket.
“He’s one of those guys that actually thrives on a bit of banter out in the middle.”
Pant is no stranger to banter with Australia’s Test squad - after last year’s Boxing Day Test the 23-year-old followed up on a sledge from Tim Paine, taking him up on his offer to babysit his kids and going viral on social media.