Coach Justin Langer backs Tim Paine to lead side until World Test C'ship finals in 2021

Australia's head coach Justin Langer backed skipper Tim Paine to continue at the helm of affairs until 2021 and trusted him to lead the side successfully till the World Test Championship final. Australia, who are second on the World Test Championship table, closed in on table-toppers India after defeating New Zealand in the second Test. Tim Paine has seen phenomenal success as the side's Test skipper, from the Ashes to ending 2019 on a high note with a win off the Boxing Day Test at MCG. 

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Langer backs Paine to lead Australia till 2021

Amid calls for replacing Paine as the Test skipper with Steve Smith as the latter's ban comes to close and former cricketers suggesting other options, coach Justin Langer firmly believes that Paine is a very important player for the side. Citing Paine's performance in the 2nd test against New Zealand, Langer said that Paine still had the fire in him to lead the side. Langer claimed that Paine was the best wicketkeeper in the world and that his captaincy was excellent along with expressing his love for working with the Test skipper.    

"Truthfully, I can't see one reason why he wouldn't. His last game - you judge on his last performance - he was probably pushing to be Man of the Match. He had eight dismissals, 70-odd with the bat, and the way he played his innings was what was most exciting. The way he leads the group. I just literally can't think of one reason at the moment, he's so fit, as to why he wouldn't keep playing for as long as he wants to or needs to," said Langer.

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Unchanged Australian Team for 3rd Test mostly

Australia coach Justin Langer says it will be hard to make a change for the third cricket test against New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground despite the home side having clinched the series. Langer was impressed with Mitchell Swepson's work in the nets on Wednesday, suggesting the legspinner remains in the mix to make his debut on Friday, but wouldn't be drawn on Australia's likely starting side. "It's going to be hard to make changes. That said, I think it's really important that we wait ... and see over the next two days what the wicket looks like," Langer said.

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Australia won the first test by 296 runs in Perth and the second at the Melbourne Cricket Ground by 247, both in four days. Australia will be going for its fifth consecutive test win after beating Pakistan 2-0 before playing New Zealand. Expectations of a spin-friendly pitch in Sydney, as usual, prompted selectors to add Swepson to the test squad as a possible backup to Nathan Lyon. Should Swepson be overlooked it would mean plenty of overs for Marnus Labuschagne, who is Australia's form batsman.

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