Shane Warne column: Tim Paine’s time was up and why Pat Cummins must get the nod

Just because Tim Paine is in the public eye doesn’t mean he won’t make a mistake. Sportspersons are human, they have feelings. Time for some perspective, writes Shane Warne.

When Tim Paine was thrust into the Australian Test captaincy, he seemed the right man for a tough time.

It was a horrible period in Australian cricket after the sandpaper scandal and demanded a new leader, someone who could gain trust back from the Australian public and from cricket lovers all around the world.

He became the leader the team needed and the spokesman for the team. In my opinion, Tim did a terrific job. He led the team through and then out of one of the darkest periods in Australian cricket.

Everyone in Australian cricket was able to breathe a sigh of relief. The past was buried and Australia is back to winning World Cups, and being respected through the way Tim conducted himself and the team, and where it has got to along with Aaron Finch and Justin Langer.

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It was sad to see what happened last Friday on so many levels and the circumstances in which Tim was forced to stand down. I really feel for him, what he’s going through, and what his family is going through.

Let’s just for a moment put it in perspective. It happened four years ago, and a full Cricket Australia investigation cleared him to take the captaincy. His family stood by him then, and now.

Changing fortunes? Outgoing leader Tim Paine and captain elect Pat Cummins.

I’m not judging him on this incident. Just because Tim is in the public eye doesn’t mean he won’t make a mistake. Sportspersons are human, they have feelings. Let’s stop the judgement. It’s not our place to do that.

It’s certainly not the way anyone would have wanted Tim’s tenure to end but even before the revelations, it was becoming clear that he’d done his job as a good spokesman for the team, and his spot was already starting to look a bit shaky.

When you take a close look at his position at number seven in the batting order, and the other candidates to play that role, the other standout wicketkeeper/batsmen around the country and the runs they were making, there was a groundswell of people starting to ask if Tim Paine was in fact the best option for the Test team.

He had his moments during recent series — especially last summer against India — which left us all questioning his tactical nous and his actual playing role. Bowlers are to blame here too, but the captain has to be held accountable.

It seemed that maybe his time was up. His own performances with the gloves and bat weren’t great, we have Matthew Wade, Alex Carey and Josh Inglis as more aggressive and better batting options at number seven. Plus the team wasn’t winning.

A lot of people were thinking that, including me.

Paine makes his first public appearance after the sexting scandal broke. Picture: Chris Kidd

After the way he had to step down, it might sound really harsh, but we have to look at the positives as the Ashes are only 17 days away.

For me the time is right to make Pat Cummins captain, something I thought even before the events of Friday unfolded.

The poster boy, respected and loved the world over, Pat Cummins should now be named captain, and either Matt Wade, Josh Inglis or Alex Carey should get their chance to come in and play Paine’s role in the Test team.

Tim has thought of the team, been unselfish, by standing down now. But as I’ve said it’s time to move on.

You’d say Alex Carey’s performance over a long period of time would have him as the leading candidate to come into the side.

Wade has had his chance and didn’t quite nail it but after his World Cup heroics should he be given another crack.

Warne says the Australian public must stop the judgement of Paine. Picture: Chris Kidd

Or should the selectors go for the young Josh Inglis? Inglis gets my vote.

He’s got silky smooth hands behind the stumps, he’s a 360 degree player with the bat and coming off three first class hundreds last season for WA.

He’s a great team man who I saw first hand at the London Spirit this year. He’s 26. Bang, get him in.

The time is now for Pat Cummins

No captain is ever the best version of themselves when they start.

It takes time to get the balance right between making sure your team is all OK, and being aware of everyone’s preparation level, their happiness level, their readiness to play. As captain, you are always looking around the group to try and stay on top of it all.

For Pat, as a first time captain, that’s where the coach and senior players will play an important part to help stay on top.

It’s rare for a bowler to be captain, and just the second time ever as captain of Australia, which will present a whole new challenge for Pat.

The tricky thing on the field is you don’t want to over bowl yourself, or bowl yourself at the easiest time, but you also don’t want to under bowl yourself, because you are the best bowler in the team.

That will be one of the bigger things Pat will be worried about. But what we want to still see is the aggressive way he takes on the game.

He’s got the utmost respect from teammates, and everyone in world cricket. He’s earned that from the way he has conducted himself. We want him to continue like that.

What we don’t know about is his tactical nous, his cricket brain. We’ll have to watch that unfold.

Pat Cummins celebrates a wicket with Tim Paine. If he is handed the top job he is going to need help at the top.

The hardest thing for Pat is Australia is coming off two horrible summers out of the last three. Especially last summer against India.

Everyone, from the public to commentators, were extremely disappointed by how poorly Australia played against an undermanned Indian team. This is the time to put it right.

It’s also a great opportunity for Pat Cummins to stamp his authority on the team, the way he wants to play. He’s got to make it his team and quickly.

You only get one chance at the start with the selectors and the coach, and he has to quickly work out the way he wants to operate.

The question — who’s in charge the captain or the coach is something Pat will have to sit down and work out with JL. Interesting times, watch this space.

Does he want to give up a bit of control, let everyone else pick the team and he plays with them?
Or does he demand they pick someone he wants in his team?

David Warner and Steve Smith should be considered again for the vice-captaincy, says Warne.

Whichever way he wants to go, he has to make that clear right from the start. For me take charge as the wins and losses go next to his name no one else.

What Pat needs is a good deputy to bounce off and have his back. The decision CA made at the time of the sandpaper scandal was the right one.

But is it time to revisit the leadership ban on David Warner and Steve Smith and consider them again for the vice-captaincy?

We know what a great cricket brain Warner has. Smith has been there before. Or is it time to move on and make the new Mr Cricket, Marnus Labuschagne, Pat’s new VC. While we are revisiting issues. I think Cricket Australia should work out what breaches their code of conduct — which one would think happened after sandpaper gate and be super strict with player behaviour after what went down.

Let the discussion begin, but do it quickly and give the Australian team time to adjust to the new leaders and the way they want to play the game.

The Poms are in town and the Ashes is ready to excite us all. Hurry up already!

Originally published as Shane Warne column: Tim Paine’s time was up and why Pat Cummins must get the nod