Australia's batsman Tim Paine cuts a ball away square on the way to scoring his 50 against England on the second day of the second Ashes cricket Test match in Adelaide in December 3, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / WILLIAM WEST / --IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE-- (Photo credit should read WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)
Former Australian captain Tim Paine is set to return to first-class cricket through Tasmania's Sheffield Shield match against Queensland.
According to News Corp, Paine will be travelling with Tasmania to face the Bulls on Thursday.
The Tasmanian Wicketkeeper hasn't played first-class cricket since 2021, and was expected to retire following a sexting scandal that saw him stood down as Australia's test cricket captain.
Stepping away from Test cricket due to mental health and his personal life, Paine has found a renewed determination to finish his career in his home state.
Paine recently featured in a Tasmanian Premier League fixture for his junior club Tasmania University, looking sharp behind the stumps.
The 37-year-old is said to be in excellent physical shape, and is motivated to help the young Tasmanian Tigers in Australia's premier domestic competition.
With another former Test captain in Ricky Ponting appointed as the Head of Strategy for the Hobart Hurricanes, a Big Bash league tenure could be Paine's next move.