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Tim Paine's Australia team-mates want the disgraced former captain to play in the upcoming Ashes series despite his sexting shame.

The 36-year-old married father-of-two stepped down just weeks before the first Test against England after is was revealed he sent explicit messages to a female Cricket Tasmania colleague back in 2017.

Paine, who returned to action for Tasmania's second XI this week following neck surgery, wants to play in the Ashes and opener Marcus Harris has backed him.

Tim Paine (centre) returned to action for Tasmania's second XI this week after the sexting scandal that forced him to resign the Australia captain just weeks before the Ashes

Paine has been backed by his team-mates to feature in the Ashes despite the scandal

Opener Marcus Harris has backed Paine to be selected for the upcoming Ashes series

Harris believes Paine should make the Australia team for the opening Test at Brisbane on December 8 on the strength of his wicketkeeping abilities alone.

'Yes, absolutely. He's done a really good job in the last few years under tough circumstances, and I think you can still probably argue that he's the best gloveman in the country,' Harris said.

'I know he's got the support of all the players. Obviously Painey is a very popular member of the group, and he was as skipper as well.

'So we're looking forward to him getting up here in the next week or so and getting on with cricket.'

Paine has issued a public and emotional apology to his wife Bonnie after his sexting scandal

Paine, 36, sent a photo of his penis to a female co-worker along with a stream of lewd text messages

Harris added that most of the Australia team have contacted Paine in the wake of the scandal, having only been informed half an hour before it broke last week.

However, it will fall to the selectors to decide whether Paine maintains his place in Australia's Ashes squad or whether he is cut loose.

A five-person panel will make the decision but it reportedly won't include coach Justin Langer, who will concentrate on preparing the side.

Instead the job will fall to selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide, Cricket Australia board member Mel Jones, chief executive Nick Hockley and chairman Richard Freudenstein.

Alex Carey is expected to take the gloves if Paine is dropped.

Harris wouldn't be drawn on who should be the next captain, with Pat Cummins and Steve Smith among the frontrunners.

Another factor working against Paine is a shortage of match practice since he underwent neck surgery in September. His last competitive match prior to that was in April, when he played for Tasmania against Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield.

He made his return for Tasmania's second XI on Monday, grabbing six catches, but was then out for a second ball duck.

His text exchange with the Cricket Tasmania staffer from 2017 included an unsolicited picture of his genitals and 'graphic sexual comments' that caused her to complain seven months later.

Married father-of-two Paine, 36, sent lewd messages to a Tasmania Cricket staffer back in 2017

Paine was investigated and cleared of wrongdoing by Cricket Australia in 2018, when he confessed to his wife Bonnie that he sexted the woman over the course of 18 hours.

But the matter was kept secret for three years until the messages were made public on Friday afternoon and Paine tearfully resigned as Australian captain just weeks before the Ashes.

Tim Paine's rise and dramatic fall in sexting scandal

Australian captain Tim Paine walks to change ends during a cricket test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia on Jan. 9, 2021

2010: Tim Paine makes his Test debut against Pakistan, replacing injured Brad Haddin, but is dumped upon the incumbent's return

April 2016: Paine marries Bonnie Maggs

November 17, 2017: Granted shock recall for Ashes series

November 22-23, 2017: Paine sends lewd messages to a female coworker on the eve and morning of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane. The pair had exchanged texts throughout the year

January 2018: Selected for squad to tour South Africa

March 25, 2018: Appointed interim captain after Steve Smith and David Warner stood down over 'sandpapergate' ball tampering scandal

March 28, 2018: Paine is appointed captain for the 4th Test of the series, becoming the 46th captain of the Australian side

April 2018: Awarded a national contract by Cricket Australia 

June 2018: Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania become aware of the messages and launch an investigation, following a complaint from the woman. Paine claims he was exonerated during the investigation. His wife Bonnie was aware of the messages but chose to stick by him

2018 - 2021: Paine continues as Test captain, retaining the Ashes in England in 2019

November 19, 2021: Paine steps down as full details of the explicit messages surface

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