SHANE Warne has questioned whether Tim Paine is the right man to captain Australia and said the side desperately needs Steve Smith and David Warner back — but only after they have served their time on the sidelines.

Paine was instated as Australia’s Test and one-day international captain following the 12-month suspensions dealt to Smith and Warner by Cricket Australia in the wake of the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.

The Tasmanian keeper is winless across his first six matches in charge across all formats (one Test, five ODIs), but its his claim to a spot in Australia’s best XI that Warne has queried. Since taking over from Smith, Paine has averaged 15.00 with the bat across Test and ODI cricket, though he did make 62 in his first Test innings as skipper.

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Tim Paine is winless across his first six matches in charge. Source: AAP

“The Australian way is always to pick your best team,” Warne, who will be commentating for Fox Cricket this summer, told Fox Sports News. “There’s a lot of talk about should Tim Paine be in the side? He’s the captain at the moment.

“We as Australians should always pick our best team and then you pick your captain and vice-captain from that. I don’t think we should just make a captain and then fit a side around him.

“I think the captain and vice-captain should still be up for grabs because I want to see us pick the best side possible. If Tim Paine’s in the best side and he’s the best guy to be captain then make him captain.”

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Shane Warne says Nathan Lyon should be considered for vice-captaincy. Source: Supplied

Warne put Nathan Lyon’s name forward as a contender for vice-captain, praising the off-spinner’s game intelligence.

“He’s a senior player, he’s an experienced player in the side, spinners generally think about the game pretty well, Nathan Lyon thinks about the game pretty well. Even the big quickies do in Starc and Hazlewood, Cummins is young but why not have a look at him either.”

The former leg-spinner, who took a record 708 wickets across his 145 Tests for Australia, believes the vice-captaincy should go to a bowler given the current uncertainty in the country’s batting order.

“I don’t think any of the batsmen have really consolidated themselves … all of their spots are up for grabs. The all-rounder’s spots up for grabs.

“If you’re an Australian cricketer at the moment you’re so close to playing cricket for Australia. The start of the domestic season is so important because you could find yourself playing for Australia.”

Warne is unsure whether Smith or Warner will ever captain Australia again but says the side needs them back as soon as possible.

“I still think they’ll be back, we need them, we’re desperate for them,” he said. “Have a look at the Australian side at the moment, we’re lacking in batting so we desperately need them. We sort of want to rush them back but they’ll do their time, they’ll pay their penance, their 12 months and then they’ll be back and be better than ever.”