Wicketkeepers don’t make good captains in the long run, reckons Shane Warne

Warne has become the latest signing for Fox Sports who are currently covering Australian cricket. Through this medium, Warnie made the claim that wicketkeepers would not fare well as captains as opposed to deputies or vice-captains. Warne inferred that Tim Paine would not make it as long-term captain although he has done a great job so far.

“I'd say it to Gilly face to face, I don't think keepers make good captains,” Warne said of his fellow Fox Sports commentator Adam Gilchrist. “I think they make good deputies and are fantastic vice-captains to bounce off to set the standard of fielding.”

“I don't think Paine is a long-term option - even though he's done a great job in the short time he's been there - but right now we just need to take stock. We have Justin Langer doing all forms, which is great. Eventually, I think that will branch out to a red ball and white ball coach, and we may have different captains in different forms of cricket. At the moment it's about trusting the Australian cricket team again,” he added.

Warne also commented on the Australian team culture and said that there is nothing wrong with it. However, the players complain a lot about oppositions and other things which is ‘un-Australian’ according to Warne. The legendary leggie also believes that newly appointed coach Justin Langer will be able to change this situation. He also shut down the murmurs going around that Australia should play like New Zealand, but believes that a combination of both cricketing cultures would have a positive impact.

“I'm not sure there were team culture problems but I have noticed there is a lot of whingeing coming out of the Australian camp in recent times, about the opposition and things like that,” Warne pointed out. “I think that's un-Australian, I have never really heard any Australian sides do that.”

“But I think it's a great opportunity for everyone in world cricket to draw a line in the sand and say 'how do we want to play the game?' 'What do we stand for?' 'What's the style of play we want?' I don't think we want to play like the Kiwis, which I heard someone say. I mean, c'mon. The Kiwis, no thank you.”

“But we probably want something in between the Kiwis and Australia at the moment. I want us to play hard but fair, tough, uncompromising cricket, but shake hands and play in the spirit of the game and show good sportsmanship.”

Warne feels that the Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft will make their way past Sandpaper-gate and re-emerge into the Australian squad coached by Langer. He has a lot of hope resting on Justin Langer to take the Australian team to new heights.

 “I know what Justin is like as a person, he's a hard worker, he's disciplined, he instils toughness in guys, he'll have great values with the group. As a figurehead, he's a good appointment, and it has come at the right time. Hopefully, he'll help the team make us all proud of Australian cricket team again. That's what we want,” Warne said.