Newly appointed Australian coach Justin Langer has recently said to the Australian media that Tim Paine will have an important role in selecting the next Australian vice-captain. 

Paine has been named as Smith's permanent replacement and the likes of Mitch Marsh and Pat Cummins are among a host of contenders to be the new second-in-charge when the Test team faces Pakistan abroad later this year.

"My view has always been that the captain – and this might be a little controversial – should have a pretty big say in who the vice-captain (is)," Langer told Melbourne radio station SEN.

"You need to know as captain, or any leader, that your lieutenants have got your back and you trust them. 

"We've had some small discussions about it, but I'm the sort of person who weighs up all the information, talks to people I trust and then makes the decisions."

"There were four things I spoke to Pat about when he asked me if I was interested in (the head coaching position). The second one of those was that the captain is very important – (and) the captain and vice-captain relationship is very important."

"We've got to learn from the past and make sure we get that right." Langer said initial discussions on the Test vice-captaincy will take place in Brisbane next week as he prepares Australia's limited-overs squads for upcoming tours of the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. 

There is an increasing chance that Pat Cummins might be the first choice of both Langer and Paine for the post.