Australian Test skipper Tim Paine rubbished the reports suggesting discontent in the team’s dressing room saying that they are 100% behind head coach Justin Langer.
Earlier some reports suggested that after the Test-series loss against India, there was discontent in the Australian dressing room.
Talking about the same Tim Paine said that the Australian team is firmly behind head coach Justin Langer and from head coach to number XI, they all want to improve.
“We are all 100 percent behind JL [Langer] and the job he is doing. We had a team review at the end of the Indian series, which is a pretty common factor in professional sports.
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“From Justin to our last player, everyone will get the feedback they can improve on. We obviously did not play as well as we [would have] liked against India and we all want to improve, from Justin down,” he told ESPNCricinfo.
Tim Paine-led side will play only one Test match against Afghanistan in November, before the Ashes 2021-22 which begins 8th December. On the other hand, England recently lost the home Test series against New Zealand and is now slated to play the five-Test series against India, starting 4th August.
England’s Test series defeat against New Zealand will give Australians a psychological advantage ahead of the Ashes. But Australian skipper Tim Paine feels not much should be read into the England team’s capitulation against New Zealand in the two-Test series.
Talking about England’s Test series defeat against New Zealand, Australian Test skipper Tim Paine admitted that it was not the strongest England team and they will probably see the better team in the Ashes.
“New Zealand are a good team. And secondly, I think if we are being realistic, it’s a really different team England put on the field to what we’re probably going to see in the Ashes. Keeping it in perspective it certainly wasn’t England’s strongest team," Tim Paine said.
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Paine said that Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, who are currently recovering from injury, along with other bowlers returning to England’s squad will only strengthen their side. He added that they would take down few things from England’s defeat against the Kiwis ahead of the Ashes.
“We know when they come here they’re going to get Ben Stokes, going to have Jofra Archer [both are currently recovering from injuries], they’re probably going to play a spinner, and a few other guys particularly the all-rounders who really strengthen their side both ways.
“We know England are a better side than what they put up. So, we’ll take a little bit from it but don’t read too much into it at the same time,” he concluded.
(IANS Inputs)
