Shane Warne does not want wicketkeepers to be burdened with captaincy responsibility. (Source: File)
Former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne believes that current ODI and Test skipper Tim Paine should not hold on to the captaincy reigns for a long period of time despite doing a commendable job. Stating that wicketkeepers should not be burdened with the responsibility of captaincy, Warne maintained that the men behind the stumps are better suited for the role of a vice-captain. Tim Paine was entrusted with captaincy duties after the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal involving former Australian captain Steve Smith.
Speaking to Fox Sports, the 48-year-old said,” 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.”
Warne also went on to reiterate that there are no issues with Australian team culture and said, “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,” he explained.