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Tim Paine hints at giving up captaincy if Australia win Ashes, backs Steve Smith to succeed him

Tim Paine has hinted at stepping down from as the captain of Australia's Test side if his team manages to defeat England in the Ashes series this year. Paine even backed former skipper Steve Smith to succeed him.

Tim Paine hints at giving up captaincy if Australia win Ashes, backs Steve Smith to succeed him

Melbourne, May 13: Tim Paine has hinted at stepping down from as the captain of Australia's Test side if his team manages to defeat England in the Ashes series this year. Paine even backed former skipper Steve Smith to succeed him.

The 36-year-old Paine has been under intense scrutiny after Australia were beaten 1-2 by an injury-ravaged India in a home Test series earlier this season.

Tim Paine gets trolled for taking potshots at India Tim Paine gets trolled for taking potshots at India

"Obviously I don't make that decision but the time I played with Steve as captain he was excellent. Certainly tactically he is as good as you get," Paine was quoted as saying by news.com.au. "He's probably a bit like me when I was at the start of my captaincy journey in Tasmania - he was thrown into a very big role at a very, very young age and he probably wasn't quite ready for it.

"But by the time I came in he was growing into that role and getting better and better. Then obviously (in) South Africa events happened and he's not doing it anymore. But yeah I would support him getting that job again," he added, Paine also hinted that he might step down from captaincy if Australia can beat England in the Ashes later this year.

"At least another six Tests," he said referring to the one-off Test against Afghanistan and the five-Test Ashes at home. "If I feel like the time is right and we've beaten the Poms 5-0, what a way to go out. But it might be a tight series and we might be chasing 300 on the last day and I'm 100 not out and hit the winning runs - and then I might go again."

(With PTI inputs)

Story first published: Thursday, May 13, 2021, 19:52 [IST]
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