"Relax, It’s okay" - Tim Paine questions backlash over Australia's ODI series loss to Pakistan ahead of blockbuster Test summer
Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine feels he sees no reason to overreact after the Aussies' ODI series loss to Pakistan. The Tasmanian underlined how the first-choice players were missing to give them time to prepare for the upcoming Test series against India.
With Australia resting Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins for the third ODI against Pakistan, they suffered a crushing eight-wicket loss. After folding for 140 in 31.5 overs, Pakistan chased the target down comfortably for their first series win in Australia since 2002.
Paine said Australia needed to rest some of the star players now for the Test series against India and the Champions Trophy 2025 next year.
"That annoyed me. Six or seven guys were in that team. Let's just pump the brakes on the, ‘I can't believe we're seeing this performance from the world champions’. We're blooding some youth to give them experience at the international level whilst the big boys get ready for two hugely important series – one in Test cricket and one in white-ball. Relax. It’s okay," he told SEN Tassie.
Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh will miss both the ODI and T20I series due to paternity leave. The Aussies scraped through to a two-wicket victory while chasing 203 in the opening game and failed to reach 200 batting first in the next two ODIs.
Tim Paine hits back at questions over world title holders
Tim Paine also acknowledged to have been baffled by the commentators blowing the series loss out of proportion, adding in the same interaction:
“People were saying, ‘Oh, I can't believe how bad the Australian cricket team are’, these are cricket commentators and world-class cricket commentators saying, ‘I can't believe what I'm watching, this the World Cup holders’. No, it's not. The World Cup holders are sitting on the couch getting ready for a Test series."
Australia and Pakistan will play three T20Is, starting Thursday, November 14.