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Tim Paine Steps Down From Australian Captaincy Over Explicit Text Scandal

Australian wicket-keeper, Tim Paine, has resigned from Test captaincy due to an investigation being carried out by Cricket Australia regarding Paine sending explicit text messages to a female co-worker.

The incident had initially occurred in 2017, months before Paine was recalled to the Australian Test side and was made the captain following the sandpaper scandal involving the then Test captain, Steve Smith. Paine had been cleared at that time in a joint investigation carried out by Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania.

It was recently revealed that the explicit text messages between Paine and female co-worker are about the be made public and further investigation is going to be carried out by Cricket Australia. Paine said that he feels that this is the right time for him to step down from the captaincy.

Paine announced his resignation in a press conference on Friday.

“Today, I’m announcing my decision to stand down as the captain of the Australian men’s test team. It’s an incredibly difficult decision, but the right one for me, my family, and cricket,” he stated.

“As a background on my decision, nearly four years ago, I was involved in a text exchange with a then-colleague. At the time, the exchange was the subject of a thorough CA Integrity Unit investigation, throughout which I fully participated in and openly participated in,” he added.

Cricket Australia announced that they have accepted Paine’s resignation and have started the process of appointing a new Test captain for Australia. Paine’s resignation could not have come at a worse time for Australia as the first Test match of The Ashes is only a few weeks away. Despite the scandal, the experienced wicket-keeper will be considered for selection in the Test squad.

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Published by
Saad Nasir