Tim Paine is barely a week settling into captaining his country, but already the Tasmanian views the role as one of transition.
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The 33-year-old was given the official nod as Australia’s 46th Test skipper for the Wanderers clash that started on Good Friday.
Paine, who grew up in Lauderdale, joined rare company just eight matches since his recall to the side.
Only 15 times has a wicketkeeper led the Australians in 811 Tests including Adam Gilchrist in six of his 96 appearances.
Fairfax Media understands Paine has been given assurances that his position is safe beyond the South African series to allow for team stability.
But he is not entirely coveting the role until Steve Smith is eligible to regain the captaincy in March 2020.
“I think at the moment that it’s something that I probably will be doing,” Paine said.
“I have not put a hell of a lot of thought into anything past this week.
“Now we’ve also got a new coach that’s got to be appointed, who’s going to want a say on the way we go about it, the way I go about it.”
But Paine has said while in charge of the Australian team, he is keen to implement some cultural change within the dressing room.
The move of ensuring both sides shook hands on the ground prior to the first ball of the fourth and final Test was one of the initiatives that Paine requested with his South African counterpart FAF du Plessis.
“We want to make this environment in the Australian cricket team one that people can come in, be themselves and play their cricket to their best of their ability,” Paine said.
“And we want to have that sorted by the time that those guys [Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft] are ready to come back into this team.”
Paine finished on five not out at stumps on day two, as Australia struggled to 6-110 in reply to South Africa’s intimidating 488.