Talking about captaincy change is disrespectful to Tim Paine, feels Steve Waugh
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Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh feels that it is disrespectful to be talking about a potential change in Australia's Test captaincy given the job Tim Paine has done since taking over. In September, Paine became the first Aussie skipper since Waugh to retain the Ashes on English soil.
Over 18 months ago, amidst the darkest phase in Australian cricket history post the Newlands ball-tampering scandal, Tim Paine was named as Australia's Test captain, much to everyone's surprise. The Tasmanian had a stuttery start to his captaincy, losing to Pakistan away and India at home, but has since managed to hold the team together and two months ago, became the first Aussie skipper since 2001 to retain the Ashes on English soil.
But with Steve Smith's captaincy ban set to end in four months, there has already been chatter about the former taking over the reins, with coach Justin Langer even admitting that he would have a talk with Smith regarding captaincy. However, former Aussie skipper Steve Waugh feels that it is highly disrespectful of people to be talking about a change in captaincy and believes that Paine has done an exceptional job as captain after being called up to clean the post-Newlands mess.
"Tim has done an amazing job. I don't know where all this talk is coming from ... it's very premature. To start talking about a captaincy change, I think that's a lack of respect," Waugh told smh.com.au.
Waugh also believes that Paine doesn't get enough credit for the job he's done in restoring Australian cricket back to where it belongs and lauded the wicket-keeper and coach Justin Langer for turning things around. The former skipper also feels that after retaining the Ashes in England, Paine should now be given time to take the team forward heading into the future.
"It's definitely been undersold. He came in at one of the most tumultuous times in Australian cricket history. He and Justin Langer really turned it around," Waugh said.
"He let the team create their own identity and evolve, they've done well in England ... let's see what they can do in Australia and take it from there," he added.
Paine's next assignment as Aussie skipper will be a two-Test series against Pakistan at home, the first of which will commence from November 21 at the Gabba.
