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.A slow over rate cost Australia a spot in the World Test Championship final, but captain Tim Paine feels other teams got off scot free.
Australia captain Tim Paine has called on a fairer crackdown on slow over rates after feeling his team unfairly bore the brunt during the race for the World Test Championship title.
The four WTC points Australia were docked for being two overs behind the rate during the Boxing Day Test against India ended up costing the team a spot in the final.
It allowed New Zealand to edge ahead of Australia in second place, with the Kiwis going on to beat India in a thrilling final.
Paine has no issue with his team being docked the points, but he feels other teams have gone unpunished for the same offence.
"Unfortunately we were the team I think that's bore the brunt of it for an over rate," Paine said.
"I think there's been a lot of Test match cricket in the last two years where the teams haven't bowled their overs.
"It's a bitter pill to swallow when you're the only team that's been docked points, and you see it happen Test match after Test match.
"I think there needs to be a little bit more consistency around it, given now the prize is so big, and a couple of overs can cost you four points."
Australia's Test team will be back in action on November 27 when they take on Afghanistan at Blundstone Arena.
With the Twenty20 World Cup final in the UAE to be played on November 14, Paine knows there's a big chance he won't have his first-choice squad available for the Afghanistan Test because of quarantine requirements.
Star batsman Steve Smith is still battling an elbow injury and is weighing up whether to play at the T20 World Cup.
Paine said it was important for Smith to be fit for the five-match Ashes series, which gets underway at the Gabba on December 8.
"Obviously from a selfish point of view I'd love him to be 100 per cent fit," Paine said.
"And if that means he misses that (T20) tournament, then so be it. But Steve's a professional, he'll know where his body is at. If he doesn't feel like he's right, he'll make the right call.
"Fingers crossed his elbow comes good. He's been dealing with it for a while now and he finds a way to get up.
"It's important now that he's got the time that he takes that time and tries to get it 100 per cent right, not just for the Ashes, but to try to prolong his career for another four, five, six years."