New Delhi: Former Australia skipper Tim Paine is making a comeback into the Test setup of the Australian cricket team. In the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy, he will be a part of the Australian team, but… not as a player. He called it quits from all forms of cricket in March 2023 and therefore, will be making a return to the Australian team in the capacity of a coach. It is to be noted that the position of Andrew McDonald remains intact as the head coach of Australia.
Paine will be coaching the Australian Prime Minister’s XI for the two-day practice match which is to be played with the pink ball against India A on November 30 – December 1. The match will be played between the first and second BGT Test. The 39-year-old was Australia’s skipper during India’s last two tours of Australia in which the Men in Blue recorded identical 2-1 wins in the BGT.
Paine represented Australia in 35 Tests, 35 ODIs, and 12 T20Is – making his last international appearance in Brisbane against India, which was hosting the final Test of the 2020-21 series which India clinched by three wickets at the Gabba. He made his last first-class outing in March 2023 for Tasmania and is already acting as the coach of Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League (BBL).
“I think for a young coach like myself, any chance that you get to lead a team is a great opportunity, so I am looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to working with some of our most talented young cricketers around Australia as well so, it will be good fun,” Cricket ACT quoted Paine as saying.
They had a tough time… – Paine
India are to play five Tests on this tour for the Border Gavaskar series and the two-day warm-up match will act as a training exercise for the pink-ball Test. Both teams will be playing a day-night Test match (2nd in itinerary), scheduled at Adelaide Oval from December 6-10. The series begins on November 22 in Perth and Paine is hopeful that his coaching for the two-day pink ball game will bore fruits to the Australian team in the Adelaide Test.
“Hopefully, they (India) will approach it with some of their best players, and they have got some of the best players in the world. They had a tough time when they played against the pink ball in the Adelaide Test (2020-21) so hopefully for the game’s sake and Canberra cricket fans’ sake, we get to see some of the best players in the world like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, some of their best players will be on display,” Paine added.
Tim Paine is all set to make a return in the Australian team’s dressing room for the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy. However, he will be filling in some different shoes. Know it all here! Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
