Cricket Australia has set up a five-person panel that will start a three-step process to vet candidates to replace Tim Paine as Test captain. The panel, which consists of George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide, current CA board member Mel Jones, CEO Nick Hockley and Richard Freudenstein.
Tim Paine quit Australia’s Test captaincy last Friday over the ongoing investigation by Cricket Australia in relation to a sexting scandal. Paine is being investigated over sending an explicit image of his to a co-worker along with a set of lewd messages. He took over as the Australian Test skipper after Smith got involved in the ball-tampering scandal. He has made himself available for selection in the Ashes despite having resigned as captain of the team.
The National Selection Panel of Justin Langer, Bailey, and Dodemaide has put forward a list of candidates to the panel for consideration. After assessing the candidates, the five-person panel will take one recommendation to the CA Board for approval. The governing body has not set any strict timeline although a verdict is likely to come within a week.
Fast bowler Pat Cummins is most likely to be Australia’s 47th captain of the Australian Men’s Test team. While former skipper Steve Smith and batter Marnus Labuschagne also have leadership claims.
“I think Pat Cummins is the frontrunner there. I’ve got no problems with him having the first opportunity. They should have him if he’s keen to do it. And he must be reasonably happy to take the role, given he’s vice-captain. Steve Smith could very well take the captaincy again. But Pat Cummins will be the guy they lean to now,” Adam Gilchrist said this week.
Justin Langer not on panel to select Tim Paine’s replacement
Cricket Australia said Langer, alongside fellow selectors, will decide whether Paine is retained in the XI for the first Ashes Test. Langer was left out of the captaincy selection panel to ensure he could invest more time in Australia’s Ashes defense.
However, in an interview with News Corp, Tim Paine has revealed Justin Langer wanted him to remain as Australian captain, even after revelations of his sexting scandal came to light.
“It was hard, but I know it’s the right thing to do. I feel completely gutted, but it’s all my doing, and I know resigning is the right call. JL (Justin Langer) told me he’s devastated. He was pretty firm that he wanted me to continue as captain. And again, once I explained to him the reasons that I thought resigning was the best thing to do. He was with me all the way. I’ve got messages from all my teammates saying they’ve got my back. And that we all make mistakes, and we move on.” Paine said