Justin Langer wants Tim Paine to captain Australia until the World Test Championship final

After Steve Smith and David Warner had been suspended for a year for being involved in a ball-tampering incident, Tim Paine had taken over the captaincy role. Paine in his tenure as captain has tasted his bit of success. He led the Aussies to an Ashes victory and also ended 2019 on a winning note by defeating New Zealand at home in the Boxing Day Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Australian cricket team’s coach, Justin Langer, recently backed the current Test captain, Tim Paine to continue holding the position of responsibility, until the final of the World Test Championship that is to be held in 2021.

Justin Langer wants Tim Paine to helm the leadership role

With Steve Smith back in the scheme of things and doing well with the bat, there have been speculations that he would be getting the role to lead the side again.

“Truthfully, I can’t see one reason why he wouldn’t. His last game – you judge on his last performance – he was probably pushing to be Man of the Match. He had eight dismissals, 70-odd with the bat, and the way he played his innings was what was most exciting. The way he leads the group. I just literally can’t think of one reason at the moment, he’s so fit, as to why he wouldn’t keep playing for as long as he wants to or needs to,” said Langer as quoted by the Republic World.

Taking the example of Tim Paine’s show during the Boxing Day Test against New Zealand, Langer said that the wicket-keeper still had a lot left in him. He also said that the Paine was the best wicket-keeper in the world and thoroughly enjoyed being in the role of the skipper of the Test team.

Going further, Langer also commented on the changes that were expected to take place in the playing XI of the third test at Sydney, given the call up of Mitchell Swepson. Langer said that it would be hard to make any changes given the current flow that the team has as a unit. He also added that the changes that the wicket at SCG undergoes during the two days left before the match will also have a role to play in the call regarding any changes in the squad.

Watch: 20 Questions with Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza