Australian cricket legends Shane Warne and Allan Border believe that Australia's new captain Tim Paine should be promoted to a higher position on the batting order and should give up the gloves in his new role.
Warne and Border have echoed each others sentiments, suggesting that Paine could have a little too much responsibility to deal with in addition to his new gig as Australian cricket captain.
"I've never liked a wicketkeeper captaining a side," Warne told SuperSport.
"I'm not saying Paine doesn't have a good brain for it, it's better to have someone looking from a different angle to the keeper."
"I think they make good deputies, but I think it's too much to ask for a wicketkeeper to be a captain of a Test side."
Border even proposed that South Australian Alex Carey could be the one to take Paine's spot as wicketkeeper, ensuring that Paine has the ability to put all his time and energy in to just batting and leading the Australian team.
Border also suggested Paine could be moved as high up the batting order at No. 3, which would be a significant move from the traditional wicketkeeper spot at No. 7, which Carey would supposedly replace him at.
The 33-year-old was whisked into the position following the infamous Australian cricket ball-tampering scandal involving former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. Paine is Australia's 46th Test captain and is expected to serve as Smith's replacement for a long-term period.
"Paine's technique is as good as anyone’s that we've seen on this tour," Border told SuperSport.
"So could he take up a batting position and, say, bat at three for Australia, not keep and bring in young Alex Carey or someone like that.
"(Paine) is the Australian captain going forward, is it going to be hard to captain and wicketkeep?"
The new captain has other ideas though, reassuring that he is up for the challenge that all three of his roles entail.
"I'll bat at seven where the wicketkeeper bats," Paine told cricket.com.au.
"I think batting down the order means I can sit and think. And I think the way I play my cricket now is a lot more relaxed than when I last played for Australia.
"In this team that's my role, to try and eke out as many runs as I can with the tail. If that means that I'm not out at the end or, like today, you try to put the foot down a bit.
"I missed two-and-a-half seasons of cricket so the rest of my body is going really well for a 33-year-old."
