Steve Waugh has thrown up the left-field possibility of including two wicketkeeper-batsmen in the Australian team with a view towards grooming either Brad Haddin or Tim Paine as a future Test captain.
With pressure mounting on Ricky Ponting as another Ashes series slips away from Australia, Waugh says the besieged skipper’s second innings in the fourth Test at the MCG shapes as one of the most important of his 152-Test career.
Ponting, 36, has tallied just 93 runs this series at an alarming average of 15.50.
But his 29-year-old heir apparent Michael Clarke is only averaging 22.50 from six knocks so far this series against England.
Both Ponting and Clarke are averaging 37 runs a dig from their 12 Tests this calendar year.
“That’s the burning question right now: who potentially is the next captain?” Waugh said on the Nine Network on Monday.
“Obviously Ricky is still there right now. If he wasn’t to be there tomorrow, you would assume (vice-captain) Michael Clarke would get the role because he’s been groomed for it, he’s done it in the shorter form of the game and done pretty well.
“But for some reason there’s question marks over Michael Clarke.”
Haddin, 33, has captained NSW and also led Australia in two Twenty20 matches, while Tasmanian Paine, 26, will lead the Prime Minister’s XI against England at Canberra’s Manuka Oval on January 10.
Waugh sees both as potential Test captains.
“I always believe there’s three or four players in the side who can captain the team, but probably haven’t revealed those skills because they haven’t had the chance,” the former Test skipper said.
“I think if you give players a chance, sometimes they’ll come through.
“Obviously you’ve got Brad Haddin, who’s obviously had a bit of experience.
“The one who I think is interesting that I think about is probably Tim Paine. He gets a few mentions.
“Is there a possibility that Tim Paine and Brad Haddin could both be in the same side?
“I think they’re both skilful enough with the bat and they’re both very good keepers. Perhaps one of those guys may come through and be a captain at some stage as well.”
Waugh advised Ponting to “relax a bit more” when he ventures to the crease at the MCG trying to save Australia from their third Ashes series defeat under his leadership.
“It’s a difficult one. There’s a lot of pressure and everyone’s talking about his game and he’ll be feeling under pressure,” Waugh said.
“He knows that he’s still capable of scoring runs and I felt the same way (towards the end of my career) – everyone’s having a crack at you saying you should retire, but I knew in myself that I still had some good innings left.
“But you feel like time’s running out as well and the second innings here is a crucial innings.
“I mean, if he doesn’t score runs here, in all likelihood we’ll probably lose this Test and not get the Ashes back.
“So the next innings is where he’s going to be walking out to the crease feeling enormous pressure.
“He just needs to say to himself: `I’ve done this before, I’ve been there. Just trust yourself and try and relax’.
“It’s a lot easier said than done, but right now he’ll be feeling the pressure and the team will be feeling also that he’s under pressure as well.”
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