Paine left the role less than three weeks before Ashes started, following revelations about a sexting scandal; Paine was elevated to captaincy after the 2018 sandpaper crisis and accused of saving Baggy Green’s reputation.
Cricket Australia (CA) admitted to making a wrong decision by failing to disclose an investigation into Tim Paine’s inappropriate behavior in 2018, leading to his resignation as the country’s test captain.
The 36-year-old announced that he would be leaving the role on Friday, less than three weeks before the start of The Ashes, following revelations about a sexting scandal.
CA President Richard Freudenstein told reporters Saturday: “I can’t talk about the 2018 decision, I wasn’t there.
“But I’m saying that based on the facts, the Cricket Australia board today would not have made that decision.
“I acknowledge that the decision clearly sent the wrong message that this behavior is acceptable and without serious consequences.
“The role of Australian cricket captain must be kept at the highest level.”
He echoed the words spoken a day earlier by Paine, who said he had concluded that his past conduct “did not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain or the wider community.”
Paine was elevated to captaincy after the 2018 sandpaper crisis and accused of saving the Baggy Green’s reputation.
The wicketkeeper was confirmed as the patron of a team of 15 this week, but just 48 hours later he gave a press conference in Hobart, admitting “a private text message exchange” with a former colleague at Cricket Tasmania.
The matter was investigated by Cricket Australia more than three years ago, and it was found that Paine had not violated the organization’s code of conduct, but has since concluded that his past conduct was inappropriate.
Freudenstein confirmed on Saturday that Paine was available for selection to the Ashes, and a decision has yet to be made on Tasmanian’s replacement as captain.
