Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood has said that he and his fellow bowlers are `open` to take up the vice-captaincy role, with the country's cricket board mulling over the players for the vacant position in the Test team. Though Paine was already confirmed as Smith's successor in the longest format of the game, the national selectors have still got enough time to name his deputy with no Test cricket to be held until October. With bowlers being named captains have been rarity in Australia, Hazlewood argued that he could not see any reason as to why a bowler could not be selected as the vice-captain of the Test side. Hazlewood, however, insisted that he would continue to act as a leader regardless of who is eventually given the vacant position. However, the side's new vice-captain is not expected to be named by Cricket Australia for few months, with their next Test assignment only coming in during their trip to the United States when they play against Pakistan ahead of the Australian summer.

Source: dna May 12, 2018 13:30 UTC