Taylor backs Warne as future Australia captain

``I see people like Ricky Ponting coming back in years to come, and you have got short-term options like Steve Waugh but I still think probably Shane Warne as a future captain,'' Taylor said after leading Australia to his third successive Ashes series triumph over England.

``I know there is a lot of talk that he shouldn't captain again because of this so-called bribery investigation but I don't believe that.

``As I said at the time I think he made a mistake and everyone is entitled to a mistake, so I still see him as one of the candidates for the future.''

Warne and Mark Waugh were fined for taking money from an Indian bookmaker for information on the pitch and weather four years ago. But the Australian Cricket Board hushed the matter up until last December when an Australian newspaper revealed the cover-up.

Taylor said he would like to lead Australia's tour of the West Indies in March but is uncertain of his future after that.

``The problem we have got at the moment is we have got a lot of players who aren't in both forms of the game,'' Taylor said, referring to Test and one-day cricket.

``Everyone from me to the selectors and the board would like to see the next captain leading in both forms of cricket, which would make it better for Australian cricket.

Taylor donned his baggy green cap throughout Tuesday's play as Australia administered the last rites to England in the Ashes series.

He said he wore the cap because of his uncertain future.

``I wanted to make sure that if it is the last day of Test cricket in Australia that I wore the right outfit so the baggy green fitted well today,'' Taylor said.

``My form and how the team is going will decide that over the next 12 months or the next nine months or until the next Test match in Australia.

``I have indicated to the selectors and the board that at this stage I am available for selection for the West Indies tour.

``I have now got a couple of weeks until that side is picked so I have got the chance to have a good think about my future over the next 12 months and I'll spend the next week or two doing that.''

Taylor, who made 228 runs at an average of 22.8 in the five-match series against England, said there was no reason for Australia to fall from the top of world cricket's tree.

``That's going to depend on how well we can fill the holes in years to come,'' he said.

``They are going to be the holes of Taylor, (Steve) Waugh, (Mark) Waugh, (Ian) Healy.

``I think we have got the players to do that.

``We are producing a lot of good cricketers at the moment but whether they are going to be of the same Test hardness as maybe the four of us are at the moment, I don't really know.

``Only time will tell but the development of our cricketers is very good.

``Our love of the game is probably second to none so there is no reason why we can't remain at the top or near the top for many, many years to come.''