Tim Paine is going to be a distraction if he plays the Ashes: Ian Healy

The former Australian keeper-batter Ian Healy has expressed his concerns over Tim Paine’s participation in the upcoming Ashes series. Previously, Paine had voluntarily stepped down as the Test captain of the side. His decision came amidst the sexting scandal with a Cricket Tasmania (CT) woman official.

Cricket Australia (CA) had also stated that it was his personal call to resign from the role. However, it is also been reported that head coach Justin Langer wanted him to continue leading the side. The keeper-batter has however made himself available for selection for the high-profile series.

Healy thus feels that if Paine plays the series, it will be a distraction for the team. He added that if his decision to step down as the skipper came with the view to avoid distraction then he shouldn’t make himself available for the selection either.

“My answer is yes (he should be in the playing XI)… but if it’s the distraction he doesn’t want, and that’s why he stood down from the captaincy, he wasn’t told to stand down and was actually implored by his coach to stay, but he didn’t want to be a distraction.

So, he’s going to be a distraction if he plays, if he doesn’t want that distraction he shouldn’t be playing either, he shouldn’t be making himself available. He certainly has made himself available, I’d probably be looking at seeing how it goes,” Healy told SEN’s Pat and Heals on Monday.

Ian Healy on wicket-keeping options who can replace Tim Paine

As per the former Australia cricketer, the team has quite a few options when it comes to replacing Paine in the squad. He said that Alex Carey is one such potential player who can make the cut. Healy also named Queensland’s Jimmy Peirson and Western Australia’s Josh Inglis as the strong options who can be Paine’s replacement.

“Well I think Carey, I don’t think he’s done anything wrong not to get that job, and he’s just young enough at 30-years-old. Having said that, my selection would have been Josh Inglis. Carey certainly deserves to have a go, but if George Bailey (CA chairman of selectors) and his selectors say, ‘No, we’re going to go young and build the future, then it looks like Josh Inglis of Jimmy Peirson, but I’d say it’s Josh Inglis, who has absolutely jammed the door with his foot,” Healy added.