Tim Paine has thrown his support behind Steve Smith returning to the Test captaincy.Credit:AP
Though his leadership ban expired more than 12 months ago,Smith has not been given an official leadership position in Australian cricket but Paine believes he deserves another chance.
“I think so. Obviously I don’t make that decision but the time I played with Steve as captain he was excellent. Certainly tactically he is as good as you get,” Paine said at a dinner for the Chappell Foundation.
“He’s probably a bit like me when I was at the start of my captaincy journey in Tasmania — he was thrown into a very big role at a very,very young age and he probably wasn’t quite ready for it.
“But by the time I came in he was growing into that role and getting better and better. Then obviously[in] South Africa events happened and he’s not doing it anymore. But yeah I would support him getting that job again.”
Paine’s comments,according to those at the function,received a rousing ovation from the floor.
Among those present were Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings and directors Richard Freudenstein and Mike Baird,who,along with the other board members,will have the final say on whether Smith is anointed once more.
The leadership question is one of the mostintriguing and sensitive issues in Australian cricket. That Paine has not declared an end date on his career means CA powerbrokers have not been forced to deal with the issue with more urgency.