Would support Smith if he becomes Australia captain again, says Paine

Australia Test captain Tim Paine said that he would support Steve Smith if he becomes the team’s captain again. Speculation has been rife about Smith returning to the role that he was axed from in the wake of the 2018 ball tampering scandal, especially after Australia lost to India 2-1 at home earlier this year under Paine’s captaincy.

“I think so. Obviously I don’t make that decision but the time I played with Steve as captain he was excellent. Certainly tactically he is as good as you get,” Paine said while speaking at a function for the Chappell Foundation at the SCG.

Paine said that he saw similarities in Smith’s situation when the latter was first made captain to when he was captain of Tasmani.

“He’s probably a bit like me when I was at the start of my captaincy journey in Tasmania - he was thrown into a very big role at a very, very young age and he probably wasn’t quite ready for it,” he said.

“But by the time I came in he was growing into that role and getting better and better. Then obviously South Africa events happened and he’s not doing it anymore. I would support him getting that job again,” said Paine.

Paine said that he expects himself to be captain for at least six more Test matches culminating in the Ashes later this year at home.

“At least another six Tests,” said the 36-year-old Paine.

“If I feel like the time is right and we’ve beaten the Poms 5-0, what a way to go out. But it might be a tight series and we might be chasing 300 on the last day and I’m 100 not out and hit the winning runs - and then I might go again,” he said.

Paine said that they were distracted by India’s apparent reluctance to play at the Gabba in Brisbane during the 2020/21 Test series, which eventually led to them losing the series 2-1.

“Part of the challenge of playing against India is they’re very good at niggling you and trying to distract you with stuff that doesn’t really matter and there were times in that series where we fell for that,” Paine said.

“The classic example was when they said they weren’t going to the Gabba so we didn’t know where we were going. They’re very good at creating these sideshows and we took our eye off the ball.”

Rumours were abound during the third Test of the series in Sydney that India were reluctant to play the fourth Test at the Gabba due to the hard quarantine rules in Brisbane.

It had led to Queensland’s Health Shadow Minister Ros Bates warning India to follow quarantine guidelines or don’t come at all.

The third Test ended in a draw from a position of advantage for Australia and India eventually played at the Gabba.

They won the Test by three wickets, chasing down a target of 328 on the final day and thus became the first team since Vivian Richards’ all-conquering West Indies team in 1988 to beat Australia in a Test match at the Gabba.

Indo-Asian News Service