It’s captain Cummins as Paine takes break

Pat Cummins will be Australia’s 47th men’s test captain after being confirmed as Tim Paine’s successor for next month’s Ashes series.

Cricket Australia announced Cummins’ appointment yesterday while also returning Steve Smith to a leadership position as his deputy.

It marks Smith’s first such role since the 2018

Cape Town balltampering scandal, having since served a two-year leadership ban.

CA also confirmed he would be the man to step up to captain the side if Cummins was to be injured or rested.

Cummins’ rise to the top meanwhile puts him in rare air, as the second fast bowler to captain Australia and first to hold the position on a fulltime basis.

‘‘I am honoured to accept this role ahead of what will be a massive Ashes summer,’’ Cummins said in a statement.

‘‘I hope I can provide the same leadership Tim [Paine] has given the group in the past few years.’’

Cummins will become just the second fulltime captain in the past 45 years after Michael Clarke to have not captained his state in firstclass cricket previously.

‘‘I am pleased to return to the leadership of the team and look forward to helping and assisting Pat in any way I can,’’ Smith said.

Cummins’ first task will be retaining the Ashes on home soil this summer, before leading Australia’s first tour to Pakistan in more than 23 years next March.

Meanwhile, disgraced former skipper Paine is set to miss the first Ashes test and likely to never represent Australia again, having taken an indefinite mental health break.

Yesterday’s bombshell, coming a week after Paine tearfully stood down as captain after revelations of a sexting scandal in 2017, could mark the end of the wicketkeeper’s cricket career.

Shocked national selectors, who were expected to back the Tasmanian to weather the storm and play in the first at the Gabba as per the players’ wishes, are yet to give any indication of their plans.

But it is hard to envisage how Paine, who turns 37 when the five-test series between Australia and England begins on December 8, could force his way back into the XI after Alex Carey or Josh Inglis take the gloves. The Tasmanian was ready to retire from domestic cricket in 2017, only for a call from mentor Ricky Ponting to start a process that led to a shock Ashes recall and even more remarkable promotion after Smith was stripped of the captaincy.

But playing cricket is currently the least of Paine’s concerns.

‘‘We are extremely concerned for his and [wife] Bonnie’s wellbeing and will be making no further comment at this time,’’ Paine’s manager James Henderson posted on Twitter.

Henderson termed it an ‘‘indefinite’’ break.

‘‘We recognise that this is an incredibly difficult time for Tim and his family and are committed to supporting them,’’ Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Nick Hockley said.

‘‘We respect and understand Tim’s decision to have a break at this time to focus on his and his family’s wellbeing.’’