Tim Paine column: Steve Smith critics need to get a grip over ‘cheating’ claims

Tim Paine admits he was not the leader he should have been in Sydney. He says he let his team and fans down. But what about the future of the stump mic? He offers his view.

Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Tim Paine and Matthew Wade get vocal in Sydney. Picture: William West/AFP

I don’t know if everyone does this, but when I do get a quiet moment in life – they are few and far between these days – I like to sit alone with my thoughts and review recent events.

That, as I explained, is how I came to realise I had let myself down, the team down and let Australian fans down by losing composure on that last day at the SCG.

I was not the leader I should be.

I pride myself on being the cool, calm, clear captain who has a positive effect on the mood of his teammates, not a negative one.

People get agitated and angry in sport and I’ve always seen my role as the one who defuses that and gets them focused on what they need to do or what the team needs them to do.

For a moment there, I was that one.

I wasn’t as focused or as happy playing cricket as I usually am.

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Tim Paine was clearly frustrated on the final day of the Sydney Test against India. Picture: David Gray/AFP

I didn’t make our team better and that’s my job.

I can’t remember that happening to me before and I am determined it will not happen again.

I’ll often seek advice from captains who have been here before me and I’ll give Ricky Ponting and maybe Steve Waugh a call at some stage to get their take on it.

Do I have anything to add? I don’t think so, my motivation was to address the issue, acknowledge what I did and move on.

Some of the criticism has been pretty strong and when it came to Steve Smith’s ‘incident’ just over the top.

Poor Smithy, he was horrified when he saw how that had been received.

We are constantly amused by his mannerisms and obsessions, others might find them annoying, but I can assure you this is something he does all the time, it’s harmless, it does not change anything for the batsmen and maybe his critics need to get a bit of a grip.

In no way has any of this turned me off the stump mic.

I love the stump mic, it allows people an insight into the way we play and what is going on.

There can be a lot of inane chatter when you’ve got Marnus and Wadey and me hanging around together for five days, but I imagine most workplaces are the same.

Sometimes you see the best of us, occasionally we’re not at our best, but it brings people closer to the game and I think that is gold.

I have to be better with my language when I’m talking to Blocker Wilson, Boony has made that clear by fining me.

We’re in Brisbane now and on the last leg of what is a fantastic cricket series.

The three matches have been as good as any I have been involved in.

Paine drops a catch from India's Rishabh Pant, which proved costly in the result in the third Test. Picture: David Gray/AFP

We’ve got some injury concerns, some I’ll tell you about and others I won’t be mentioning anywhere near here or a stump mic.

Just quietly, however, you would be amazed at what some of our blokes put themselves through just to get out on the park or stay on it.

They don’t complain and they wouldn’t be listened to if they did, but some of the courage to push through pain that I witness at first hand is quite remarkable.

The privilege of playing Test cricket means people are willing to put up with a hell of a lot of discomfort.

The best part about Melbourne for us was finally getting that Baggy Green on Will Pucovski’s head.

He’s a great kid.

I’ve found myself drawn to him and Cameron Green and while I’m not sure what that says about me, I know it says that they’re two very mature young men who love playing Test cricket and their love of the game is infectious.

Most of us are terrified when we make our debut, but these two took to Test cricket like they’d been born to play it.

Now that I say it, I’m not sure they weren’t born to play it.

Will has had to have a scan on his shoulder and we’ll be watching his progress closely.

Davey Warner is very sore but would do anything to play for his country.

Paine says the accusations against Smith have been way over the top. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

People are asking about our quicks but they are absolute professionals, they’re seasoned, they have hard bodies and they will be ready to go.

You have to respect them for that.

It’s Gazza’s 100th Test and I’m pumped for him.

I can’t believe how lucky I am to have a bloke like Nathan Lyon in my cricket team.

It’s a privilege to stand behind the stumps to his bowling, it is one of the joys of the job.

I let him down the other day, but I will bounce back and get him that 400th wicket.

His family are in quarantine up here in Brisbane so they can see him.

He is our song master, our friend, and an exceptional cricketer.