Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine is set to make his comeback on the cricket field, this time as a coach. He has been appointed the assistant coach of Adelaide Strikers ahead of the upcoming season of the Big Bash League (BBL). Paine announced his retirement from professional cricket earlier this year in March after the end of Sheffield Shield season.
The former Australia skipper was also recently named the assistant coach of Australia A side for the series against New Zealand A next week. The head coach Adelaide Strikers Jason Gillespie was delighted with Paine's signing and felt that his experience will come in handy for the players in the squad. "Tim has all the skills to be a fantastic coach and it is so great for us that he has decided to join the Strikers as we hunt success this summer. The experience he will bring is sure to help our players in all facets of the game and bring more positive elements to the way we play," Gillespie said.
The General Manager of Strikers, Tim Nielsen, was also happy that Tim Paine agreed to work with the franchise for the upcoming BBL season. Tim reckoned that the former wicketkeeper-batter's expertise will be of great help for the Adelaide side in the BBL.
"Tim is a great addition to our team and will help us in so many ways this season. A gifted keeper and Test level batter, Tim will be invaluable working with our players both in the field and with the bat. His ability to provide effective, direct feedback is top class and we really look forward to him getting up to Adelaide," Nielsen said in a statement. Tim Paine featured in 35 Tests, as many ODIs and 12 T20Is for Australia during his career but many talk about his exceptional stint as Australia's Test captain when he and coach Justin Langer revived cricket in country post the infamous sandpaper gate.
