Langer says Paine needs pair’s input Skipper urged to seek advice
TEST captain Tim Paine would be “crazy” not to take the advice of Steve Smith and David Warner in the field, says coach Justin Langer, as the Australians prepare to meet New Zealand in a day-night Test in Perth starting tomorrow.
Langer encourages the former banned duo to keep giving their opinions to skipper Paine, saying Ian Chappell’s “whiteanting” comment was strange.
Warner was banned from holding a leadership position again within the Australian cricket team following the sandpaper-gate scandal, while Smith’s leadership ban expires in April.
But former Test captain Chappell was miffed when he observed Smith being involved in field placements during the series against Pakistan. Chappell claimed Smith was whiteanting captain Tim Paine — a comment that didn’t go down well with Langer.
“I thought that was a really strange comment the other day,” Langer said. “It would be absolutely ridiculous of Tim Paine not to be looking like all captains do, and having a talk to Steve Smith, who has been a former captain of Australia, and David Warner and Travis Head, who is a captain of South Australia and a vicecaptain, and a group of senior bowlers.
“He’d be crazy. We want to encourage all our guys to think like captains and leaders on and off the field.
“So it’d be ridiculous for Painey not to be asking for it and then channelling the information as is required to whoever needs it.
“I was actually pleased to see our guys having a leadership impact on the ground.” Warner said on Sunday that he had no plans to appeal his lifetime leadership ban.
Langer said a potential review of that ban was an issue he hadn’t given thought to. Instead, he’s keen for Warner to concentrate on scoring runs and having fun playing cricket.
“He’s having a really big impact within the team,” Langer said.
“I love having him in the team. I love his energy, I love the way he runs between wickets.
“Whether it’s a leadership opportunity in the future, as it stands, that won’t be happening.”