Australia's Next Test Captain

[010203]

We haven't had a bowler captain Australia for ages so it's unlikely that a bowler will get it. Steve Smith is the only batsman secure of his spot in the team who can captain Australia at some point. While he was captain, I'd describe him as a decent captain who could get rather flustered if things weren't going well.

When Smith was initially made captain after Michael Clarke retired, he was the only suitable candidate. If Smith gets the captaincy back, it'll be partly due to there being no other suitable option.

Michael Clarke will have his knockers but Australia would have won convincingly at Headingley if Paine had Clarke's tactical acumen.

 

[Tigerssaints]

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[Adelaide Hawk]

Just pick the best XI to play for Australia, and worry about who's going to captain after that.

 

[Crankitup]

I know everyone says the captain has to be a batsman because they need to field in the slips or somewhere close to the opposition batsmen. Where did Imran Khan field? I know Botham fielded in the slips because I've seen vision of him taking catches there, but I can't find out where Khan fielded.

 

[Voice of the G]

Just pick the best XI to play for Australia, and worry about who's going to captain after that.

The best 11 must include Paine,he is the best keeper in Australia at the moment.If Khawaji is in perhaps he could be captain if you do not want Paine but changing the captain every couple of games if the captain is dropped is not the ideal set up.

 

[to1994]

There's way too much talk about Paine being a huge liability with the bat. We haven't had runs at 7 since Brad Haddin was in good form going on about 5 years ago so there's no difference now.

After that he hit a form slump, we had Nevill, Wade for a bit and now Paine. It's not as if Paine replaced someone who was contributing, he's doing about the same as those other guys but with the added advantage he's our Captain and he's better with the gloves.

He'll be moved on at the end of next summer but I hope we're realistic. Even if Carey replaces him expecting him to average more then about 30 will be setting yourself up for more disappointment, Nevill and Wade have far better Shield records and never managed to do more then that.

 

[RohitSharma]

Grunider Sandhu will be a good captain

 

[Kappa]

Dropped on 9.

He can't bat anymore.

 

[Santana]

Starting to look more and more like Smith will get it back after this summer. He is scoring runs and most of the public is loving him again.

Paine is getting up there now and age and both his batting and keeping is on the decline. Head's spot is nowhere near safe and the rest of the batsmen aren't secured in their spots as well. It's too early for Labuschagne.

Just hard to see it not being Smith.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Hard to see who it can be next. I don't want it to be Smith. They need to give it to a newbie.

 

[Buzzasto DaSilva]

Rob Quiney imo.

 

[Badesumofu]

Paine has captained well in this match after his mistakes at Headingly. Also continues to contribute useful lower order runs (and his batting average is actually as good as we've seen from an Australian keeper not named Gilchrist in living memory. Has Healy covered and slightly below Haddin) so I see no reason why he wouldn't get the Australian Summer at least. After that I believe Smith is able to be captain again.

6 months ago I might have said I'd be reluctant to have him straight back in as captain but the reality is he is showing leadership anyway and seems to have learned a lesson from what happened in South Africa. There is no other batter you could reasonably burden with captaincy - you don't want to give it to someone like Head when his focus still needs to be his batting. Cummins could be an option if they want to try a bowler captain. I can imagine Labuschagne as captain in 5 years time but not now.

That said I'm not convinced there is an immediate need to replace Paine anyway.

 

[Tigerssaints]

congraulations to TIM PAINE ,wonderful captain game

 

[Port85]

Stood up and got us the urn. If it was me in his shoes I'd probably retire on a high and go write my autobiography "Temporary Captain".

But if he wants to go on, he should get this summer at least after his 50 and keeping.

 

[010203]

He would have been pilloried for bringing Labuschagne on if the result didn't go his way but the Marnus move worked a treat. His 'we'll be right, it's 1-1' attitude after Headingley might have been just what the team needed after such a gut wrenching loss. For some, the way the Australian team is perceived in a behavioural context isn't that important but this team has conducted itself well throughout his time in charge as well.

 

[JackOutback]

Did something neither Ponting or Clarke did while every man and his dog was turning on him. Did the job, good on him.

 

[The Passenger]

Did something neither Ponting or Clarke did while every man and his dog was turning on him. Did the job, good on him.

Got some runs (even with a bit of help from Jason Roy*) and captained well. Did have one shocker with the gloves, but easily his best test of the series and deserves a lot of credit for that.

*On Jason Roy, that drop catch probably cost them at least 100 runs, maybe even 150. It was far more than Paine's 58 less the 9 he would've been dismissed for. There is no way Starc comes out swinging with the confidence and gusto he did if we have significantly less runs on the board. Steve Smith has to change the way he bats at the death to protect the tailenders. We would have been 6/246 and - even with God at one end - 400 is probably the absolute maximum we score from there, but probably something closer to 350 is more likely. A total around that mark would've made a big change to the complexion of the match and may have resulted in a much tighter finish. An absolute disaster series for Jason Roy.

 

[Crankitup]

Paine is squeaky clean and says all the right sportsman like stuff, thats the skipper the public want

How little we all knew.