Former Australia Captain Tim Paine To End Exile With First-Class Return

Tim Paine, a former captain of Australia, will make his Sheffield Shield comeback with Tasmania the following week, bringing an end to a protracted sabbatical from the game.

Following news that he was under investigation in 2018 for sending inappropriate text messages to a female former receptionist at state-governing organization Cricket Tasmania, Paine resigned as test captain last November.

Paine last participated in a first-class match at the beginning of 2021, but he recently returned to club cricket, taking the gloves and recording an unbeaten 20.

The coach of Tasmania, Jeff Vaughan, said to reporters on Tuesday, “It was wonderful for him to get out there and play a game of cricket again.” He was very tense before that game.

“It was nice for him to get out there and play a game of cricket again, He was quite nervous before that match.” Tasmania’s coach Jeff Vaughan told reporters on Tuesday

“He has been training with us the last couple of months. And it wasn’t until we selected over the last week or two, firstly his name was on the table for one-day cricket and then he was on the table last week when we selected [the Shield]. And it was quite unanimous that everyone wanted one of the world’s best wicketkeepers into our side” Tasmania’s coach Jeff Vaughan said.

Tim Paine returned to training with Tasmania in August:

Paine resigned as test captain in November of last year after it was revealed that he was probed in 2018 for sending obscene text messages to a female former receptionist at state governing body Cricket Tasmania. He later left the game to take an indefinite “mental health vacation,” and was dropped from Tasmania’s contract list in May.

In August, Paine returned to training with Tasmania, and on Tuesday, he was included in their 13-man squad for their Shield match against Queensland, which will begin on Thursday. Matthew Wade, the team’s captain, and wicketkeeper will be absent owing to international obligations.

Before the “sexting” allegations came to light last year, Paine, who played his final first-class match in April 2021, was slated to captain Australia into the home Ashes series.

Tim Paine was replaced by fast bowler Pat Cummins as captain, with Alex Carey taking his spot behind the stumps.