Mark Taylor dismisses claim of Steve Smith "white-anting" Tim Paine 

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell had claimed Smith of going out of his way against Paine.

Steve Smith and Tim Paine | GettySeeing him changing the field during the Adelaide Test against Pakistan, former skipper Ian Chappell felt and claimed that Steve Smith is "white-anting" current Australia captain Tim Paine. 

Paine took over the captaincy last year, replacing Smith at the helm after he was banned for a 12-month period following involvement in the ugly ball-tampering incident in South Africa. 

Read Also: Smith reacts after Chappell accused him for “white-anting” captain Paine

"I tell you what I don’t like to see, Steve Smith is moving a few fieldsmen around," Chappell said on Macquarie Sports Radio.

"I hate to see that. England used to do it a bit, blokes other than the captain and I always felt it was white-anting the captain."

However, another former captain Mark Taylor rubbished those claims, saying the moment reflected the wonderful relationship Smith and Paine share. "I don’t think Steve Smith is trying to white ant Time Paine at all, and I suspect that Tim and Steve are actually working together,” Taylor said on Sports Sunday.

"Steve Smith’s often at first slip next to Tim Paine, and I reckon Tim Paine is saying to Smithy, ‘I’ve got keeping to worry about, particularly against the slow bowlers’."

"When the spinners were bowling, I think Tim Paine said to him, ‘If you see something, just go ahead and do it. Don’t worry about coming to me, because I’ve got to worry about keeping’."

While Smith was banned, Paine time and again said he would be welcomed back with open arms by everyone in the dressing room. 

"I don’t think there’s any white-anting going on. If you listen to Chappelli’s comments, he says he doesn’t like it and I understand that, I really do, because that’s not the way he captained the side, or would want to captain the side," Taylor added. 

Smith wasn't just barred from playing but also from leading the nation for until atleast April 2020. Taylor thinks he is the right man for the job again whenever the 35-year-old Paine relinquishes his post. 

"Australia have got to be ready. I’ve always said publicly that I think Steve Smith should be available to captain Australia again, and should be at least seriously considered."

"I’d choose Steve Smith, because I think he’s in a better position to captain the side. I think the players would like Steve Smith as captain, not that I’m saying that Pat Cummins would not be liked," Taylor added. "I always found it was easier as a batsman to be a captain rather than a bowler."

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 08 Dec, 2019

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