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Australia captain Tim Paine, fined for dissent over an incident on day three of the SCG Test, says he must set a better example for children watching on TV.

Tim Paine admits he needs to set a better example for kids watching Test cricket on TV, also lamenting three dropped catches on arguably his worst day behind the stumps for Australia.

Paine has won praise for driving cultural change within the team since being appointed captain in the aftermath of the Cape Town cheating scandal.

But the conduct of Australia's wicketkeeper was criticised by Sunil Gavaskar as India held on for a draw at the SCG, where Paine capped a dirty day by dropping a late catch after a slanging match with Ravichandran Ashwin.

Paine was fined 15 per cent of his match fee after being found guilty of dissent on day three of the third Test, when he appealed for some "f***ing consistency" in a rant directed at on-field umpire Paul Wilson.

The Tasmanian could have potentially been suspended for the final Test if the code-of-conduct breach was graded more seriously.

"I probably set a pretty poor example with my use of language. Certainly disappointed with myself," Paine told reporters.

"I certainly didn't mean to be disrespectful to him (Wilson). It was just heat of moment. I need to be better.

"I know the stump 'mics' are on and there's a lot of kids watching and I need to set a better example."

Ashwin and India legend Gavaskar also took exception with Paine's antics in Monday's final session.

Ashwin was on strike and pulled away on multiple occasions during Nathan Lyon's 44th over, unhappy with Paine's persistent chirping.

Stump microphones picked up some of Paine's verbals, including when he called the veteran spinner a "dickhead" and boasted of having "more Indian friends than you do".

"Even your teammates think you're a goose. Don't they? Every one of them," he told Ashwin.

"How many IPL teams wanted you, when you asked every single one of them to have you?"

Gavaskar was decidedly unimpressed.

"Frankly, it's ridiculous," he said during commentary on the Seven Network.

"It's unnecessary."

India's stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane wasn't as worried, noting such chatter is to be expected in Test cricket.

"As long as it stays on the field," Rahane said, praising the way Ashwin handled the pressure.

Ashwin successfully salvaged a draw despite the fact he was batting in what wife Prithi termed "unbelievable pain" because of a back injury.

Paine, who grassed Australia's final chance of the Test soon after the spat, defended the conduct of him and his team.

"We try our best but we aren't perfect," he said.

"If the worst thing we've done is let the odd f-bomb go then I think we are going OK."

However, the 36-year-old was "bitterly disappointed" to have fumbled so many chances on Monday.

"I'm bitterly disappointed, I pride myself on my wicketkeeping," Paine said, having dropped edges offered by Rishabh Pant on three and 56.

"Haven't had too many worse days than that.

"It's a horrible feeling ... I let them (bowlers) down. I have to wear that."