A wicketkeeper-batsman who was earmarked as next in line behind Brad Haddin in Australia's line-up in 2009, Tim Paine's career was severely affected by a finger injury that required multiple operations. Paine originally broke his right index finger in November 2010, when he was struck on the hand by a Dirk Nannes delivery while batting in an Australian Cricketers' Association All-Stars T20 match, and it caused him considerable problems over the next few years. It was extremely unfortunate timing for Paine, who had played four Tests earlier in 2010 against Pakistan and India while Haddin recovered from an elbow injury. On the India tour especially Paine had showed impressive ability with the bat, scoring 92 and 59, but his own injury problems led to Matthew Wade jumping him in the queue to become the new second-in-line to Haddin. Although Paine subsequently appeared in a few ODIs and T20s, he spent nearly six years out of the national set-up before being recalled in February 2017 for a T20 series against Sri Lanka.

It had looked as though Paine would perhaps never play for Australia again, for at times as his career progressed he was not even the first-choice gloveman for Tasmania. In first-class cricket he suffered from a lack of hundreds - in fact, the 215 that he scored while playing as a specialist batsman in his fifth Sheffield Shield game, back in October 2006, remained his only first-class century. It was quite remarkable for a player with such talent, although Paine was often a fine domestic contributor and played in Tasmania's triumphant Sheffield Shield finals in 2006-07 and 2012-13. He had also played in two successful domestic one-day finals for the Tigers, and was Man of the Match in the 2009-10 final when he opened the batting and scored 100. A respected leader who has often captained Tasmania, Paine has also led the Hobart Hurricanes, and it was ultimately through T20 that his return to international cricket finally arrived.
ESPNcricinfo staff