Nearly a year since Tim Paine sensationally resigned as Australian Test cricket captain, he is set to make his first-class comeback.
Paine is one of 13 players selected in Tasmania's Sheffield Shield squad to play Queensland at Allan Border Field starting on Thursday.
As the only specialist wicketkeeper in the Tasmanian squad, Paine is almost certain to play.
"I'm looking forward to it," Paine said at Hobart Airport as the team prepared to fly out.
He then joked, "I'm pretty fresh that's for sure."
Asked if his 37-year-old legs were still up to the rigours of wicketkeeping, Paine replied, "They should be right, done it for a while now."
It's 11 months since Paine resigned as Test captain, and stepped away from the game when a sexting scandal became public.
At the weekend, Paine played his first competitive match since November 2021 when he represented his old club University in the Tasmania Premier League.
"It was nice to blow off some cobwebs and be ready," Paine said.
"I've obviously been training for five, six weeks. I'm ready to go, excited, obviously a bit nervous, but looking forward to it."
No Paine no gain for Tasmania coach
Tasmania coach Jeff Vaughan said it was easy for the selection panel to pick Paine.
"It was quite unanimous that everyone wanted one of the world's best wicketkeepers into our side," he said.
"Physically, he's probably in the greatest physical spot of his career, emotionally, he's sound.
"He's been training really well with us the last two months.
"We've got full faith in his wicketkeeping skill sets, so he's ticked all of the boxes."
Paine does not hold a current contract with Cricket Tasmania.
Vaughan said he would be paid like any other uncontracted player selected to represent the state.
"In Tasmania, we're able to select anyone out of grade cricket and they will get their match fees and contracts will be upgraded in due course," he said.
Prior to his resignation as Australian captain, Tim Paine had played 35 tests for Australia.
He had taken 150 catches and made seven stumpings as wicketkeeper, and had a batting average of 32.6.
