Tim Paine is set to be welcomed back with open arms by his Australia teammates, with batsman Marcus Harris arguing the disgraced veteran should be behind the stumps in the Ashes opener

Harris admits he was stunned to hear that Paine was stepping down as men's Test captain amid revelations of a sexting episode in 2017.

Cricket Australia is hoping to name a new skipper by the end of this week, but uncertainty still clouds whether Paine will retain his place in the Test XI .

The wicketkeeper returned from neck surgery this week as part of Tasmania's second XI , scoring one yet proving typically tidy with the gloves.

Paine is expected to play an intra-squad match against Test teammates in Brisbane that starts on December 1, with selectors yet to give any indication whether Alex Carey will be elevated to the Test squad.

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