Timothy David Paine (born 8 December 1984) is an Australian former cricketer and a former captain of the Australia national cricket team in Test cricket. A right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper, he represented the Tasmanian Tigers in Australian domestic cricket and captained the Hobart Hurricanes before his recall to the national side for the 2017–18 Ashes series. He served as the 46th captain of the Australian Test team.
| Full name | Timothy David Paine |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 8 December 1984 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Role | Wicket-keeper – batsman |
| Domestic team | Tasmanian Tigers |
| T20 franchise | Hobart Hurricanes (captain) |
| National side | Australia |
| Test captain | 46th captain of the Australian Test team |
| Major honour | 2009 ICC Champions Trophy winner |
| Retirement | 2023 (all formats) |
Paine is a product of the Australian Cricket Academy. He became the youngest-ever contracted player in Australia, receiving a rookie contract with Tasmania at the age of 16. He made both his first-class and one-day debuts for Tasmania in 2005. Later in the 2005–06 season he scored a one-day century, followed in his next innings by a double-century of 215.
He was part of Tasmania's maiden Sheffield Shield victory that season and also their 2007–08 one-day winning team.
Paine made his ODI debut for Australia in 2009 against Scotland, coming in as a replacement for regular wicket-keeper Brad Haddin. He was a member of Australia's squad that won the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy.
A further injury to Haddin in 2010 paved the way for Paine's Test debut against Pakistan in England. He went on to play another two Tests against India before Haddin's recovery for the 2010–11 Ashes series. From April 2011, including almost two full seasons lost to injury, Paine was not a regular member of the Australian side until his recall for the 2017–18 Ashes series.
After former Australian captain Steve Smith admitted involvement in a ball-tampering incident during the Third Test against South Africa in March 2018, Smith and vice-captain David Warner were stood down from their leadership positions mid-match. Paine was announced as interim captain for the final two days of the game and was later confirmed as the 46th captain of the Australian Test team.
Paine stepped down as Australia's Test captain in November 2021 due to an instance of improper conduct off the field during 2017, in which he had sent explicit messages to a female co-worker. He did not play for Australia again. In 2023, he retired from all formats of cricket.
Paine's career is notable for his early rise as a contracted teenager in Australian domestic cricket, his role as a long-term understudy to Haddin in the national wicket-keeping position, and his elevation to the Test captaincy during one of the most turbulent periods in modern Australian cricket. As Test captain, he was a central figure in the rebuilding of the Australian side following the 2018 ball-tampering controversy in South Africa.