Tim Paine signs autographs for supporters during a Test match
New captain Tim Paine says the Australian cricket team needs to make "a few tweaks" to its on-field behavior to win back the support of the Australian public. Paine admitted that in recent times the team "got carried away" in the way it conducted itself on the field and that came to a head with the ball-tampering incident in South Africa, which resulted in the suspension of Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
But he revealed former captain Smith had already raised the issue of the team's behavior and set in motion a plan to improve it months before he participated in the attempted ball-tampering at Cape Town.
Cricket Australia has now appointed former test opener Rick McCosker to head a panel which will review the culture of the Australian team. Paine insisted Thursday that major change isn't needed.
"Obviously we've had this incident which has brought everything to a head," Paine said.
"But during the Ashes, there wasn't a lot said about our culture.
"Looking back it's just a few little things that we can tweak and do a little bit better as a team. If we do that I think the Australia public will jump back on board pretty quickly."
Paine said Australia would definitely tone down the verbal abuse of opponents which has been an integral part of it team conduct.
"In the last couple of years at times as a team we've probably been a touch too emotional and got carried away," he said. "There's always a time and a place to talk to your opposition. But what's said and how it's said will be very different going forward."
Paine said Smith had already been determined to change the approach of the Australian team before he and Warner received 12 months bans and Bancroft a nine-month suspension.
"We had these discussions a few months ago and Steve was keen to start playing a different style," he said.
"For me it's about carrying that on."
