Cricket News : Australia vice skip Cummins possible replacement for Paine after resignation

Tim Paine resigned as Australia's Test captain on Friday after it emerged that the veteran wicketkeeper sent explicit text messages to a female co-worker four years ago.

36 year-old Paine appeared before the media in Adelaide to announce he was giving up the captaincy, but also said he wants to remain a member of the Test squad.

The announcement comes less than three weeks before the start of the high-profile Ashes series against England in Brisbane.

Paine assumed the Test captaincy in March 2018 after Steve Smith lost the role following the infamous sandpaper ball-tampering scandal in South Africa that also involved David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

'Sexting' forces Tim Paine to quit as captain of Australia ahead of Ashes

Cricket Australia said in a statement said that its board had accepted Paine's resignation and will look to appoint a new Test captain.

Current vice-captain Pat Cummins is now favoured to become the first fast bowler to assume the full-time captaincy of the Australian Test team, although Steve Smith's name has also been mentioned.