Former Australia Test Skipper Tim Paine Retires From Cricket

Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine announced his retirement from cricket on Friday, after playing an inter-state match in Tasmania. Paine captained Australia from 2018 until 2021 after Steve Smith was deposed as captain following the “Sandpaper-gate” ball-tampering incident against South Africa. He led the team in 23 Tests, winning 11, losing 8, and drawing four, and is credited with helping to re-establish Australian cricket’s image.

Paine was forced to resign when it was discovered that he had exchanged inappropriate text messages to a female coworker in 2017.

As a result of the incident, he walked away from cricket for the “foreseeable future,” returning almost a year later in October 2022.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, 38, played his final first-class game for Tasmania in a home match against Queensland on Friday, stepping out through a player guard of honour.

“An inspiring captain, one of our finest glovesman and a legend of Tasmanian and Australian cricket,” the Tasmanian Tigers said in a statement.

Paine played in 35 Tests for Australia, scoring highest score 92 and averaging 32.63. He also appeared in 35 One-Day Internationals.

Under Paine’s leadership, Australia reclaimed the Ashes in England in 2019, after a tumultuous spell for the Test team.

Current Test captain Pat Cummins took over from Paine in November 2021, characterising him as a “well-loved and respected figure of our team” at the time.

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