Shane Warne backs Josh Inglis to don keeper’s glove in Tests

Former Australian spinner Shane Warne has backed Josh Inglis to take over the wicketkeeping duties from Tim Paine in Test cricket. On Friday, Paine stepped down as the skipper of the Australian Test team in the aftermath of the ‘sexting scandal’ with a female co-worker back in 2017. However, he has made himself available for selection in the longest format of the game.

The legendary Warne, in the meantime, reckoned that it’s time for Inglis to make his way into the national team. The 26-year-old Inglis has 2246 runs to his name from 45 first-class matches to go with three centuries and 12 half-centuries. Not only did Warne laud Inglis for his batting, but also praised him for his sharp glovework behind the stumps.

“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,” Warne wrote in his column, reported Fox Cricket.

Paine’s spot was already starting to look a bit shaky, said Shane Warne

Paine took over as the Australian Test skipper back in 2018 after the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town. The 36-year-old, thereafter, saw a lot of ups and downs as Australian cricket started finding its feet again. Warne was of the opinion that Paine’s position in the team was questioned several times as the latter wasn’t scoring a lot of runs in the format.

“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, 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 Paine was the best option for the Test team,” he added.

Australia’s next assignment is the five-match Test series against England, starting December 8 with the opening Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.