Tim Paine asserts his authority as a leader in impressive fashion

There have been positive signs that the Australian Test team is heading in the right direction but none more so than Tim Paine’s leadership qualities with one particular moment standing out.

Tim Paine is a good tactician and strong leader. Picture: Getty Images

Australia’s big hope in the Test series against India was always their bowling attack — the best balanced in world cricket — and they amply displayed their various talents on a spicy Perth pitch.

However, there have been other positive signs that the team is heading in the right direction after the ball-tampering saga in South Africa provided a major setback.

The batting has shown life where none was expected.

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And while Virat Kohli was far and away the most skilful batsman on show in Perth, the Australian skipper Tim Paine was comfortably the best captain in a demanding Test match.

Paine was the right man to take charge after the previous hierarchy — Steve Smith and David Warner — were suspended.

The selectors put their faith in Paine because he was an experienced cricketer; had been earmarked as having leadership potential in the past and has a cool head.

He’s proved to be much more than just a fill-in skipper. In addition to performing with both gloves and bat he’s shown himself to be a good tactician and a strong leader when needed most.

By standing up to Kohli in the midst of a tense battle he showed his teammates that ‘‘his’’ side was not going to be brow beaten — “walked all over” — in Paine’s own words.

Paine had previously displayed his grit in defending stoutly in the UAE to help the team claim a fighting draw.

However Perth was the moment when he made it clear that this was ‘‘his’’ team.

The players would’ve known in the UAE that they had a strong captain but Perth was the moment when the whole world found out what they (the players) already knew.

India, the superior side in Adelaide, lost their way in Perth while Australia found theirs and the hosts will be much harder to beat for this epiphany.

Indian captain Virat Kohli gets in Tim Paine’s face. Picture: AAP

When Kohli backed off tactically in the period before lunch on the fourth day, Paine was at the crease and this is when he made his move to assert his authority.

The Indian’s conservative approach to captaincy and Paine’s decisive riposte to Kohli’s taunts helped gain an advantage in Perth but it could also give Australia a psychological edge for the remaining two Tests.

Australia’s weakness was always — and still is — the batting but India have shown that Kohli aside, their willow wielders are every bit as fragile.

The century-opening stand on the opening day helped set up Australia’s victory in Perth and Marcus Harris in particular has shown distinct signs of being a permanent Test player.

Harris is the big find so far and while Travis Head has displayed weaknesses he doesn’t lack for determination.

Head’s greatest asset is his busy approach to batting; any player whose uppermost thought is scoring runs is on the right track.

Marcus Harris is showing good signs as an opener. Picture: AAP

The experienced players in Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh have contributed without dominating.

Paine and his lower order cohorts have played their part in providing valuable runs that have been missing from that section of India’s line-up.

If Australia are concerned about their batting, India should be exasperated.

They have two large holes at the top of the order and a bottom four that all gave convincing impersonations of a number 11.

While Australia’s pacemen were able to rattle the Indian lower order, the ace in Paine’s pack has been tweaker Nathan Lyon.

The off-spinner’s control over the supposedly adept-at-playing-spin Indian line-up, has been critical to Australia only facing moderate totals.

Unless India can find a way to assert authority over Lyon — and that won’t involve adopting Rishabh Pant’s suicidal approach — Australia’s bowlers will continue to keep the target manageable for their batsmen.

This has been an absorbing series, confirming that what Test cricket needs most of all is two evenly matched teams playing on surfaces that ­encourage bowlers.

After two Tests Australia have achieved one of their main aims — to win back the trust of the public.

They are poised to achieve the more pressing aim; winning the series and claiming the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

Originally published as Tim Paine asserts his authority as a leader in impressive fashion