While he is keen to lead Australia to a Test series win over India, Tim Paine on Wednesday (December 16) opened up on his cricket future, saying he has been discussing it with coach Justin Langer and chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns.
Paine, who made his Test debut in 2010, was handed the captaincy responsibility after Steve Smith’s unceremonious removal from the post following the ball-tampering scandal in 2018.
“We will wait and see,” Paine said during a virtual conference when asked if he has been contemplating his future both as a player and a leader.
“From the very first time I came back into this Test team, when I wasn’t the captain, I wouldn’t look past another series. When you are young, things can be taken away from you really quickly.
“At the moment, the focus is on Adelaide and then Melbourne, and so on for the rest of the series and then we will see. I have been talking to Trevor Hohns and JL (Langer) about when and how we might look into the future but right now my eyes are firmly set on the series,” he added.
The 36-year-old Paine understands that he isn’t a dominant performer like his predecessor but believes that he has been doing well in his role, which includes batting with the tail.
“In terms of my captaincy, it’s been okay as I have a role to play in this group like everyone else does. As long as I keep doing that, we are all happy.
“My job is to keep and captain and score some handy runs with the tail and yeah that’s my role. It’s going for me pretty well.”
In wake of the COVID-9 pandemic, cricket is being played inside a bio-secure environment with everybody associated with the series and tournament undergoing several checks for the virus.
Players and support staff are only shuffling between their team hotels and the cricket stadiums for outdoor practice sessions and matches. Nobody is allowed to break the bio-bubble and travel around due to the Coronavirus threat.
No wonder, a lot of cricketers have complained about mental fatigue in the last few months but for Paine, that’s not exactly a reason which should curtail his longevity in competitive cricket.
“Before we got here we did discuss what this year is going to look like. Obviously with the Test summer, guys were going to be a bit fatigued. We are trying to get on to be honest. It is what it is.”
“There’s lot worse things that you could be doing rather than playing Test cricket for your country, to be in a hub, staying in nice hotels and eating good food. So we are still very lucky, to be doing what we are doing,” the skipper said.
“Obviously, there is going to be a bit of fatigue for guys who has been doing it for months. It’s up to guys like myself and few others who haven’t been there to drive the energy of this group.”
On a lighter note, Paine said that being in a bubble away from his kids meant that he is getting a bit of sound sleep.
“I am loving it (bio bubble). This hub that we are in as strict as it was in IPL or the one that was in England. For me, I am getting good night’s sleep and the kids are at home. Although I miss them, I am sleeping well here and feel fresher.”
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy starts with the Day-Night Test in Adelaide on December 17.
(With PTI inputs)
