Birmingham: Australia captain Tim Paine says he has no fears about losing his place as he prepares to lead his team in the first Ashes Test against England on Thursday.
The wicketkeeper found himself unexpectedly thrust into a leadership position in the fall-out from last year's ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
Australia's squad for the Ashes includes another wicketkeeper in Matthew Wade, who has already played 22 Tests. Wade has been in fine form with the bat during the recent Australia A tour of England, scoring three hundreds.
By contrast, Paine has managed just one first first-class century in his entire career. But asked during a pre-match press conference at Edgbaston on Wednesday if he felt under pressure to justify his place, Paine replied: "No, I do not at all.
I'm 34 years old, I don't really care about my place in the side any more. I'm here to do a job. "I've been put in this team to captain and wicket-keep to the best of my ability and I've said before, at 34 years of age,
if you are looking further ahead than the next Test match you are kidding yourself. "I'm not going to waste time looking over my shoulder. I'm enjoying the job that I'm doing."
