Tasmanian Tim Paine’s meteoric rise as Australia’s No.1 gloveman was locked in stone on Wednesday.
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Several weeks after replacing Matthew Wade in a surprise Test recall, selectors have now favoured the 33-year-old over his fellow Tasmanian for national One-Day International duties – making him Australia’s incumbent wicketkeeper in all three formats.
Paine played the last of his 26 ODIs in 2011 but has impressed during the Ashes.
Wade, Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner and Peter Hanscomb are high-profile omissions from the 14-man squad to take on England in a five-match series, while uncapped West Australian pace duo Andrew Tye and Jhye Richardson have been called up as cover for Australia’s “big three” – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood and Pat Cummins.
Big Bash sensation Chris Lynn has also been included.
National selector Trevor Hohns said the squad was picked with Australia’s 2015 World Cup defence campaign in mind.
“There will still be further opportunities for players to force their way into the reckoning for the squad to go to England and Wales in 2019, but the sooner we can settle on our best combination and get them playing together and in form on a regular basis, then the better our chances will be of retaining the trophy we won at home in 2015,” Hohns said.
“Tim forced his way into the Twenty20 International squad last summer, and after coming back into the Test squad at the beginning of the Ashes series he has made a terrific contribution with bat and gloves.
“He deserves his opportunity in this form of the game and the challenge for Matthew is to return to the type of form that saw him score a One-Day International hundred against Pakistan last summer.” The first ODI is at the MCG on January 14.