Australia’s Paine “indefinite mental health leave”

Tim Paine retired from cricket due to an “indefinite mental health break.” A week after the goalkeeper resigned as captain, Australia’s ashes preparations were pending.

Paine, who was replaced by Pat Cummins as captain on Friday, was originally scheduled to play for Tasmania in a domestic game in Hobart before the Ashes opener in Brisbane on December 8. “The foreseeable future,” the state cricket association said.

Since he was investigated four years ago for exposing him to a female former cricket Tasmanian (CT) staff member for sexting, speculation about Paine’s position in the test team has been widespread.

“Confirmed that @tdpaine36 quit cricket due to indefinite mental health issues,” Paine’s manager James Henderson wrote in a social media post.

“We are very concerned about the safety of him and (wife) Bonnie and will not comment further at this time.”

Pat Cummins was appointed as the Australian test captain and Smith served as deputy

Paine married Bonnie in 2016 and gave birth to her. He was cleared after investigation by CT and the Australian National Cricket Commission (CA) in 2018, but resigned last Friday, saying he did not want his captain to be in the ashes. Distracted during the period.

The news of Paine’s withdrawal from the cricket game overshadowed Cummins becoming the 47th captain of the Test team and Steve Smith as the deputy captain.

Fast bowler Cummins spoke to Paine earlier Friday and told reporters that it is too early to speculate whether he will appear in the test white again, let alone in the ashes.

“When I chat with him, he thinks for a few days at a time,” Cummins said in a video conference at the Gold Coast team hotel.

The Payne scandal will be a distraction during the Ashes: Ponting

“We will give him as much time as necessary. We absolutely welcome him back to the team, but at the moment, this is clearly not his forward and center.”

‘Difficult time’

CA boss Nick Hawkley said that this “is a very difficult time for Tim and his family” and the board is committed to supporting them.

Hockley said in a statement: “We respect and understand Tim’s decision to take a break at this time and focus on the happiness of him and his family.”

Former Australia captain Rich Ponting said this week that even without a captain, Paine’s choice of England will still distract the team.

Nathan Lyon: I would rather be the leader of the song than be the captain

However, Payne’s teammates supported him and expressed the hope that he would stay with him.

Payne is the only professional goalkeeper in Australia’s 15-man lineup to be selected for the first two Ashes Test.

Experienced white goalkeeper Alex Carey and Western Australia’s Josh Inglis, both of whom were nominated in the recent Australian “A” team, are considered potential substitutes.

Matthew Wade also has experience as a test goalkeeper, but for the last time he played as a mid-level batsman in a 2-1 series defeat in India.

Paine’s resignation as captain sparked a dispute between the Tasmanian cricket team and California. The State Federation accused its national opponents of hanging Paine.

CA Chairman Richard Freudenstein (Richard Freudenstein) said last week that his current board would not recognize Paine as captain if he encountered the same situation as his predecessor in 2018.