- 32-year-old Tim Paine hasn’t been playing as a keeper for Tasmania all season
- Paine considered retirement earlier this year to go and work for Kookaburra
- He is the biggest surprise in a 13-man squad to take on England
- Wicketkeeper Paine replaces Wade and is selected ahead of Peter Nevill
Australia sprang a bombshell on Thursday night when they recalled wicketkeeper Tim Paine for their first two Tests with England more than seven years after his last Test appearance.
Paine, who hasn’t been playing as a keeper for Tasmania all season after Matthew Wade moved there to take the gloves and considered retirement earlier this year to go and work for Kookaburra, is the biggest surprise in a 13-man squad to take on England at the Gabba on Thursday that has caused considerable raised eyebrows here in Australia.
The 32-year-old replaces Wade and is selected ahead of Peter Nevill, who was widely expected to get a recall. There is a place at No6, too, for another veteran in Shaun Marsh ahead of the more exciting Glenn Maxwell.
Tim Paine has been recalled to the Australia squad for their first two Tests against England
So far down the pecking order has Paine been that he played against England in Adelaide last week for a Cricket Australia XI made up of players who are struggling to make their State sides.
But he made a half century against England against the pink ball and then followed it up with 71 for Tasmania. Those two innings have earned him a recall.
There will be a new face at the top of the order in Cameron Bancroft, who has been scoring prolifically for Western Australia and replaces the out of form English-born Matt Renshaw.
The 32-year-old replaces Matthew Wade (pictured) and is selected ahead of Peter Nevill
Cameron Bancfroft (centre) is the new face at the top of Australia’s batting order
Australia have only picked four bowlers, putting a major onus on their impressive but injury prone pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon makes up the quartet.
It is a selection that smacks of muddled thinking by the Australian selectors and gives England, big underdogs without Ben Stokes, real hope that they may just spring a surprise in this Ashes series.
The Australia squad also includes an extra fast bowler in Chadd Sayers with a view to him playing in Adelaide under lights.
Australia have also picked Chadd Sayers with a view to him playing in Adelaide under the lights