Paine hits back at brutal Warne criticism

3 years ago 358

Test cricket skipper Tim Paine has refused to beryllium drawn into a warfare of words with cricket fable Shane Warne, saying the spinner's comments were conscionable a substance of opinion.

"I'm going to fto it spell Jack, to beryllium honest," Paine said connected SEN Radio.

"I told a fewer radical that I would wound my lingua - I've got immoderate things I request to ore connected first."

Earlier this week, Warne said determination were "a batch of gaps" successful the Australian team, and pointed the digit squarely astatine the skipper for some his tactics and batting form.

"Paine, he's had a shocker the past mates of years arsenic captain, tactically he's been precise poor, mislaid the past 2 bid and can't marque a run," Warne said.

"But here's the large thing: No 1 fears Australia anymore. Coming to Australia, everyone utilized to spell 'oh we're going to person to beryllium astatine our champion to adjacent compete'. Now they conscionable judge they tin bushed Australia – each side."

Paine conceded that determination had been issues during his tenure, but near it there.

"What I volition accidental is that Warnie is evidently precise opinionated and he's blessed to springiness his opinion, and his occupation is to critique us.

Aussies thrash Bangladesh

"At times you person to springiness an sentiment that radical don't similar and mightiness not needfully hold with but astatine the extremity of the time that's his opinion. We'll fto him person it for now."

The skipper did concede that immoderate of Warne's concerns were valid.

"We're not hiding from the information that we haven't played our champion Test cricket, there's nary uncertainty astir that - peculiarly past summer.

"The summertime earlier that we won 5-0, and we've had very, precise small Test cricket truthful determination are immoderate guys who are struggling for immoderate continuity and consistency."

Paine said the COVID-19 pandemic had provided unsocial challenges that nary erstwhile Australian teams had to woody with, but they deliberation that the squad has plentifulness of betterment successful them.

"We've got immoderate challenges with guys being connected a T20 World Cup, past coming home, doing 2 weeks' quarantine successful a edifice country without training, and past having astir 8 days earlier heading into the archetypal Test. It's going to beryllium a situation not lone for us, but for England.

"There's immoderate challenges facing planetary sportsmen astatine the infinitesimal that others haven't had to look successful the past."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!