Tim Paine Hints At Extending His Test Captaincy Stint

Australian Test captain Tim Paine has given indications that he might be looking to extend his stint as the leader of the national team after he joined his Big Bash League franchise, Hobart Hurricanes, after a hiatus of three years.

Paine, who had joined the Channel 7 commentary team after fulfilling his Test duties last summer, admitted that he missed the atmosphere of the dressing room.

And, while a BBL return does not equate to a prolonged Test career, the fact that the Australian wicketkeeper-batsman’s first taste of life after cricket has only made him more determined to continue playing, which means that Paine might be looking to extend his international playing days beyond the Test Championship final and he might well lead the Aussies in next summer’s Ashes at home.

“I missed white-ball cricket, I enjoyed my commentary but I missed being around the team and around my mates,” Paine said. “For me I can go to commentary in three or four years’ time if need be, but for me at the moment I just want to play as much cricket as I can while I still can and thankfully, I’m fit enough to be still going. I can’t wait to be back in the purple and back around white-ball cricket,” Tim Paine was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.t

“It was probably at the end of last year I had a chat to my manager when the Hurricanes were playing finals and I was there commentating and while I enjoyed the stint and it’s something I’ll probably look to do when I finish, but I miss the competitiveness, I miss being around the team and didn’t enjoy being on the outside of it. I wanted to get back inside the tent,” he added.

“I think I’ll be available for the back three or four and then the finals, but looking at the line-up it’s going to be difficult for me to get a game with the quality we’ve got on our list.” he added.

Tim Paine’s comments come after the sole vice-captain of Australia’s red-ball and white-ball sides’, Pat Cummins said that he was not looking forward to any role more than a supporting cast to both the leaders in Aaron Finch and Tim Paine.

“Not really to be honest, maybe once I get into Test camp I’ll get my head around it a bit more, but I still see my job as helping Painey out in that Test side as much as I can. Beyond that, not really,” he said. “Since being vice-captain, of course you think about the game a bit more when you’re out there, when you’re off the field as well, trying to be a bit more aware of what’s going on, sometimes as a bowler it’s easy to go down to fine leg and drift, so just trying to make sure I’m always trying to learn what it takes to be captain in case it ever comes up.

“Just about everyone you come across, whether it’s ex-players or some of the really good players you’re lucky enough to play with in IPL have been part of really good sides and have had some leadership roles, so I think everyone has their own style and way they go about it, so it’s great to hear what’s worked for them and it’s all different cultures, different levels of cricket, but I think most of the problems and the opportunities are all the same. Just maybe in a slightly different setting,” Pat Cummins said.

“I haven’t had too much experience so I could say it’s easy or it’s really hard, but until you actually have a crack at it you might not know. speaking to a few captains around the place or guys who have captained, they’ve found sometimes the longer the format the easier it has been to make those tactical decisions, you don’t feel as rushed, the game doesn’t move as quickly,” he added.

“Of course something like the Aussie team we’ve probably got six, seven or eight guys who are really good leaders, have captained either Australia or their state, so there’s no shortage of ideas and guys to bounce off.” he said.

Meanwhile, former Australian captain Mark Taylor has said that if Tim Paine does continue for two more years then Cricket Australia might look beyond Steve Smith and focus on grooming a leader from the next generation-headed by the likes of Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head and Pat Cummins.

If Paine goes a couple more years, that will probably go against Smith,” Taylor told Nine this week. “They’d probably want to go to someone younger, like a Travis Head. But if things don’t go well for Tim, or he decides in the next 12 months or so that he’s had enough, I’d like to think they would certainly consider Smith again.” Mark Taylor said.

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