“My phone has been going berserk” - Tim Paine opens up on decision to retire from first-class cricket

Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has stated that his phone has gone berserk since he made his decision to retire from first-class cricket. He added that reading messages of support from around the world has made him emotional.

Paine, 38, bid a quiet farewell to domestic career after Tasmania's final Sheffield Shield match of the season against Queensland in Hobart last week.

The keeper-batter had a mixed time as an Australian cricketer. He was named Australia’s Test captain after Steve Smith was sacked for his role in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.

Having led the country in 23 Tests, he was himself forced to resign on the eve of the 2021-22 Ashes after some lewd text messages he sent to a Cricket Tasmania colleague a few years ago went public.

Paine went on a mental health break after quitting as Australia captain and was never picked to play for the country again. Opening up on his decision to quit first-class cricket, Paine was quoted as saying by AAP in an ESPNcricinfo report:

"I just wanted to have one more year with Tassie and finish on a positive note with some good memories. To come back and do that, it was nice to finish on my home ground.”

On the reactions to his decision to quit, the cricketer added:

"My phone has been going berserk, from all around the world as well, which is nice. It's made me a bit emotional reading some of the messages and social media stuff people have sent.”

Recalling his long association with Tasmania, an emotional Paine commented:

"I came in the doors at Cricket Tasmania when I was 12 years old ... 26 years ago, which is a long time. It's an emotional time when you move on from something that you love doing and you care deeply about, but I'll still be involved in the game of cricket."

The 38-year-old ended his first-class career with 154 matches in which he scored 6490 runs at an average of 46.31, with three hundreds and 35 fifties.

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Tim Paine reflects on cricketing career

Apart from his Test debut, the cricketer picked winning Tasmania's first Sheffield Shield title in 2006-07 among his career highlights. He said:

"To play in that [Tasmania] team with Damien Wright, Michael Di Venuto and Dan Marsh and guys I looked up to and them having long careers and never being able to win, I think that was a real moment I'll never forget."

Paine played 35 Tests, 35 ODIs and 12 T20Is for Australia between 2009 and 2021.