Shane Warne backing Pat Cummins as Australia's test captain after Tim Paine's resignation

Former Australian leg spinner Shane Warne said the time was right for fast bowler Pat Cummins to succeed Tim Paine as test team captain and blood Josh Inglis as the team's next porter. Paine resigned Friday after investigating and acquitting media revelations over sexually explicit text messages sent to a former colleague four years ago.

Vice-Captain Cummins, 28, has completed 164 wickets in 32 Tests for Australia since his debut in 2011.

"The time has come for me to make Pat Cummins captain, something I was thinking before the events of Friday," Warne wrote on Sunday in Australia's The Daily Telegraph.

"The figurehead respected and loved around the world, Pat Cummins should now be named captain and either Matt Wade, Josh Inglis or Alex Carey should get their chance to play Paine's role on the test team.

Also Read: Who will replace Tim Paine as Australia's test cricket captain?

"Inglis gets my vote. He's got silky smooth hands behind his stumps, he's a 360 degree player with the racket and won three top-class hundreds for Western Australia last season. He's a great team man that I have at London Saw Spirit firsthand this year. He's 26. Bring him in. "

Warne, who had previously criticized Paine's captaincy, praised the 36-year-old's leadership after being named captain instead of Steve Smith after the ball rigging scandal in South Africa in 2018.

"It was sad to see what happened on so many levels last Friday and the circumstances under which Tim was forced to resign. I really feel for him, what he is going through and what his family is going through," added Warne.

“I am not judging him for this incident. Just because Tim is in public doesn't mean he won't make a mistake. Athletes are people, they have feelings that. "