Australian skipper Tim Paine proved he still had a sense of humour despite a gruelling day in the field on Friday, gamefully answering an AFP journalist's phone during a live press conference.

The wicketkeeper could have been forgiven for wanting to get out of the room as fast as possible after 167 overs behind the stumps against India in the fourth Test in Sydney.

But when a phone on the desk in front of him rang he picked it up and had chat with the reporter's editor at the other end, leaving the media pack in stitches.

"Tim Paine speaking," he said. "Who is it, sorry? It's Katie in Hong Kong. Who are you after?" he went on.

"Ah Martin, he's in the middle of a press conference at the moment. Can I get him to call you back?

"No worries, I'll tell him to check his emails. Thanks Katie, cheers."

Paine has proven before that he enjoys a laugh, engaging in some hilarious on-field banter during the four-Test series, including a cheeky sledge in the second Test in Perth to Murali Vijay about Indian captain Virat Kohli.

"I know he's your captain but you can't seriously like him as a bloke," he said.

And at the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne he suggested young Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant could babysit for him and his wife.

"Fancy that, Pantsy? Extend your little Aussie holiday. Can you babysit? I'll take the wife to the movies one night and you'll look after the kids."

Despite the light-hearted press conference, Paine knows he has a mountain to climb on Saturday with India compiling a massive 622 for seven declared in Sydney.

Australia were 24 without loss in reply.