The curious case of Australia's captain: Tim Paine finds himself in a strange situation for the Ashes

SAM MORSHEAD AT EDGBASTON: Thrown the task of captaining a side in disarray, Paine's attempt at hauling Australian cricket out of the abyss would be complete with a first Ashes series win on English soil since 2001

It must be quite trying, being Tim Paine.

"I'm 34 years old, mate. I don't really care about my place in the side anymore," he snapped after being asked whether his position was looking particularly precarious going into this Ashes series.

"I've been put in this team to captain and wicketkeep to the best of my ability."

His response was polite enough but equally blunt, the reaction of a man who might well feel he does not deserve to be seen as Australia's plastic poncho - disposable as soon as the storm has blown over.

If so, it would be a fair enough stance.

It is less than 18 months, let's not forget, since Paine was thrown the reins of a side in disarray, pretty much because he was the only remaining player in the squad who was born in the 1980s, was not an injury-risk fast bowler and had not contrived to scrub a cricket ball with sandpaper.

His task was considerable. He had to be at once humble and contrite, repenting for the sins of others, all the while trying to come up with a way of hauling Australian cricket out of the abyss. 

Furthermore, he had to field constant criticism of what had gone before, answer the same questions about leadership and ethics on repeat, and be constantly vigilant for the slightest indiscretion - real or otherwise - which might have caused yet more PR pandemonium.

Seriously, who would want that job? 

^{Australian cricket was in turmoil following the sandpaper gate scandal}

For a year or so, though, the Tasmanian muddled through. Results might not have been brilliant - Paine's win ratio from his nine Tests (33.33%) is the worst of any permanent Australian captain since Kim Hughes (14.28%) - but for a team in transition it has hardly been alarming.

More impressively, Paine helped steer Australian men's cricket beyond the waves of disrepute and back towards something resembling good moral standing and away from the "arrogant", "win-at-all-costs mentality", despite being routinely targeted by critical former players. 

To use a stilted analogy, he is the replacement head who has taken his school out of special measures. 

But as we all know, no teacher is safe from being cut.

Historically, there is a method by which Australia have appointed their captains: pick the best team, then pick the man best suited to lead it.

If that was the process in operation in 2019, there is next to no evidence to suggest that Paine would still be in the 17-man squad, let alone be in overall charge.

While his glovework is probably the most secure, his batting record is substantially inferior to Matthew Wade (Paine has just one first-class century to his name, Wade has six in the past two years), while Alex Carey is the darling of Australian men's cricket after his dazzling World Cup and at 27 is seven years Paine's junior. 

There is just cause for journalists to ask the skipper whether he feels under pressure, even if it feels a little unfair given all he has willingly shouldered since Cape Town.

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"I realise how lucky I am - the position I've come from and the position I'm now in," Paine said at Edgbaston on Wednesday.

"I'm enjoying the job I'm doing, loving being in England, being part of an Ashes series and I'm just looking to enjoy it as much as I can."

And for as long as he can. Realistically, and barring a remarkable turn of events, Paine can have no more than eight months left in charge.

Because once Steve Smith becomes eligible for a leadership role again next spring - two years on from the Newlands debacle - it is widely expected that the former skipper will be restored to his old position.

Paine has accepted Smith's inevitable ascent to the captaincy - he has been quoted as saying "I hope that one day he gets given the opportunity" - and Australian cricket appears to have just about got itself ready for such an eventuality, too.

What a curious position for Paine to be in this year as he leads his side into perhaps their best chance of an away Ashes series win in 18 years. 

"At 34 years of age if you're looking further ahead than the next Test match you're kidding yourself," he said today.

Elite honesty, indeed. 

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