Who will replace Tim Paine?

TIM Paine fronted reporters last Friday to announce his resignation after being engulfed in a sexting scandal following an explosive report published by News Corp.

The 36-year-old remains available to play for Australia in the upcoming Ashes series, but there are major doubts as to whether he will be selected for the first Test starting on December 8.

SEN host Gerard Whateley believes vice-captain Pat Cummins will be Australia’s next Test skipper and Peter Lalor, the chief cricket writer at the Australian, agrees.

“It’s an enormous question,” Lalor told SEN Drive.

“I agree with Gerard I think Pat Cummins was always going to be the next Test captain. It’s come a little bit quicker than anticipated.

“The board will have to meet and make a final decision on this. I think they would’ve had their ducks in a row already because there would have been concerns about Tim actually making the first Test.

“A good board and a good selection panel would’ve planned ahead and at least known where they were going to go on that one.”

If Paine isn’t picked for the Ashes – who should replace him behind the stumps? Lalor has two names in mind.

“Take a pick: [Josh] Inglis or [Alex] Carey,” he said. “I’d just be guessing between those two.”

Cricket Australia investigated and cleared Paine in 2018 over an explicit image and lewd messages sent to a female co-worker at Cricket Tasmania in 2017.

– SEN