Tim Paine to undergo neck surgery, remains optimistic to lead Australia in the Ashes

Australia Test captain Tim Paine will undergo surgery on a pinched nerve in his neck on September 14 (Tuesday) in Hobart, Cricket Australia confirmed in a statement on Monday. Paine, however, remains confident to lead Australia against England in the Ashes later this year, starting with the first Test at the Gabba, Brisbane.

Paine is understood to be suffering from due to “a bulging disc which reduced his ability to train at full intensity and has not responded to treatment”.

“The consensus of the spinal surgeon and the CA medical team was to have the surgery now which will allow plenty of time to fully prepare for the summer,” Paine said in a statement.

“I expect to be able to restart physical activity by the end of this month and be back in full training in October. I will be ready to go by the first test and am very much looking forward to what will be a huge summer.”

Meanwhile, the doctors remain optimistic that Paine would be able to resume light training by September end, and will be able to fully train in October, before gaining match-fitness in early November, when Australia is set to play Afghanistan in a one-off Test in Hobart.

Australia-Afghanistan one-off encounter uncertain

The fate of the encounter, although, hangs in uncertainty for now, with a turbulent situation in Afghanistan owing to Taliban’s insurgence, with a potential threat of derecognition by ICC looming over the ACB owing to the uncertain future of the Afghanistan women team.

“In cricket, they might face a situation where their face and body will not be covered. Islam does not allow women to be seen like this,” said Ahmadullah Wasiq, the deputy head of the Taliban’s cultural commission.

In response, a CA statement said: “Driving the growth of women’s cricket globally is incredibly important to Cricket Australia. Our vision for cricket is that it is a sport for all and we support the game unequivocally for women at every level,” Cricket Australia said in its official statement.

“If recent media reports that women’s cricket will not be supported in Afghanistan are substantiated, Cricket Australia would have no alternative but to not host Afghanistan for the proposed Test Match due to be played in Hobart.

“I don‘t think we want to be associated with countries that are taking opportunities or things off literally half their population,” Paine said on SEN radio last week.