Australia suffered an ODI series defeat at home against Pakistan, a result which many saw surprising given the Australians’ status as the defending World Champions in the format. However, their former Test captain Tim Paine had no time for reactionary takes following the loss, arguing that there was no reason to panic for the team.

Speaking on his morning radio show in native Tasmania, SEN Tassie, Paine did not mince words about how he thought that Australian media was over-reacting to a series in which the intention was to give some of the fringe players in the national team a chance.

“That annoyed me,” said Paine. “Six or seven guys were in that team. Let's just pump the brakes on the, ‘I can't believe we're seeing this performance from the world champions’. We're blooding some youth to give them experience at the international level whilst the big boys get ready for two hugely important series – one in Test cricket and one in white-ball. Relax. It’s okay.”

While captain Pat Cummins played the first two ODIs, along with Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, as well as Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, the third and decisive ODI saw a new-look Australian team.

Wicketkeeper Josh Inglis was named captain, while Matt Short and Cooper Connolly, as well as pacers Lance Morris and Spencer Johnson came in for the final match at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

‘World Cup holders are sitting on the couch…’

Pakistan punished the inexperience of Australia’s young team by bowling them out for 140 and completing a routine chase.

“People were saying, ‘Oh, I can't believe how bad the Australian cricket team are’, these are cricket commentators and world-class cricket commentators saying, ‘I can't believe what I'm watching, these are the World Cup holders’. No, it's not. The World Cup holders are sitting on the couch getting ready for a Test series," argued Paine, not standing for the reaction that has come in from some quarters for the Australian team.

Cummins, Starc and company will also be rested from the T20 series against Pakistan, in preparation for the long five-match series against India on the horizon. Josh Inglis will continue to captain the team, with a young team preparing to take on the visitors in three matches.

Read Also: KL Rahul's candid admission on being out of India's T20I team: ‘Know where I stand’

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