Michael Clarke and Brett Lee defend Tim Paine's captaincy against India

Former Australian cricketers Michale Clarke and Brett Lee have jumped in the defense of Tim Paine's captaincy skills.

Lee found Paine's leadership against India commendable. Clarke, on the other hand, said the captain should not be the only one accountable for the team's performance.

Paine became only the second Australian captain to lose consecutive Test series to India and the first to lose a Test at the Gabba since 1988.

The cricket fraternity had questioned his decisions during the drawn Sydney Test. And the rumblings have become louder after India's triumph in Brisbane.

Talking to Fox Sports, Brett Lee conceded that Paine could have tried different things in Sydney but added it's easier said than done.

“I think since he’s taken over the captaincy he’s shown real good leadership qualities. His captaincy has been really good. As I said, in Sydney there were maybe a few other things he could have tried, but put yourself in that situation — he’s under the pump, he’s had a few players go down as well, there’s chances (gone begging) when they’re trying to take those last five wickets. (He’s a) brilliant keeper, his batting has been outstanding, and his captaincy really sound,” said Lee.

The captain is not the only one accountable now: Michael Clarke defends Tim Paine

Former captain Michael Clarke has defended Tim Paine for his leadership against India

World Cup-winning captain Michael Clarke also rallied behind Tim Paine. Talking to Big Sports Breakfast, Clarke said his days at the saddle saw a transition from one-man accountability to more involvement of other stakeholders who called the shots.

“When I played cricket when I grew up watching my father ... the captain was accountable in the teams I played in. Through that transition of me captaining Australia, that changed. There had become a chairman of selectors that had more pull, there had become a high-performance manager that had more pull, there had become a head coach who had more pull. So now, who is driving the bus? This is my point,” said Clarke.

If he doesn't get the axe, Tim Paine's next leadership assignment will be in South Africa. The tour is expected to start mid-February.

Tim Paine tries to keep the 'awesome' and the 'awful' in perspective as he turns his attention to the tour of South Africa - whenever that might be#AUSvIND | @ARamseyCrickethttps://t.co/DOpUjBWaWT

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 19, 2021