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Gritty Paine sets tone for Australia

'Keeper-batsman spending more time at the crease than legendary predecessors and leading the way in the field as well

Australia Test captain Tim Paine is aging like a fine wine, and just like a vino stain he's proving extremely difficult to remove.

Among Australian wicketkeepers of the past 30 years who have faced at least 500 deliveries, Paine averages 64.86 balls per innings.

That's more than legends Adam Gilchrist (49.60 balls per innings) and Ian Healy (48.13) and greater than his predecessors Matthew Wade (48.66), Peter Nevill (50.04) and Brad Haddin (49.88).

It's the type of resistance Australia have greatly needed as their batting order searches for stability after a traumatic 12 months.

Paine will go down as one of the biggest Ashes bolters in history after he was plucked from obscurity to take on England last summer.

But since his return, the Tasmanian has been the rock of Australian cricket, not only as an obdurate batter at No.7, but in his exemplary glovework and outstanding leadership in the wake of the Cape Town ball-tampering incident.

His grit, fight and resilience with the bat were on full display across the opening two days of the second Domain Test at Perth Stadium.

Titans trade blows in Test classic

Facing a pace battery widely regarded as the finest India have ever assembled, Paine was repeatedly struck by deliveries that misbehaved on a spicy pitch.

But he rarely showed signs of discomfort, a feat that earned high praise from Australia fielding coach Haddin.

"It was good yesterday watching Tim bat," Haddin said on a live chat on cricket.com.au's Facebook page.

"It was brutal. He got hit a couple of times, he didn't flinch. It was a real captain's knock.

"I think since he's come back into the team his keeping is as good as anyone's, probably the best in the world at the moment.

"His batting, what I've liked about him, he's changed the momentum of the game.

"He's batting like a 'keeper, he's batting the situation. He's going really well."

The two gloveman, Paine and Haddin, have been instrumental in the Australians lifting their fielding standards.

The hosts have not put down a regulation catch against India this series and have produced moments of magic in the field from the outset, with Usman Khawaja's stunning grab to remove Virat Kohli and Pat Cummins' extraordinary run-out of Cheteshwar Pujara the highlights thus far.

Khawaja classic catch removes Kohli

Haddin says it's been a slow burn to change the attitudes of the Australians in the field but the shift in mindset is starting to show. 

"Australia really judge ourselves, our identity, on the way we field," Haddin said.

"If we're playing well as a team it's a lot off the back of the intent and attitude we have in the field.

"It's just been an attitude and mindset adjustment about the way they go about things to show that you can make a difference on the game and the result.

"Guys like Travis Head are starting to understand the presence you can create with your movement and your attitude out in the field.

"You look at Khawaja, he's done a lot of work with his fielding and the other day to take that catch, it's obviously spectacular when it happens but a lot of work goes on behind the scenes for him to be able to get his body in a position to be able to do things like that.

"I'm happy with the slow change we're starting to get in our attitude."

Domain Test Series v India

Dec 6-10: First Test, Adelaide Oval, India won by 31 runs

Dec 14-18: Second Test, Perth Stadium

Dec 26-30: Third Test, MCG

Jan 3-7: Fourth Test, SCG

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c, wk), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Mitch Marsh (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Chris Tremain

India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar