Tim Paine Appointed Head Coach of Australia A for Busy 2024-25 Season, Zanden Jeh Gets Surprise Call-Up

Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine has taken another significant step in his post-playing career, being appointed as head coach of the Australia A side for three major assignments in the second half of 2025. Currently coaching the Adelaide Strikers in the BBL, Paine will juggle a consultancy role with Cricket Australia, leading Australia A in three one-day matches and two four-day games against Sri Lanka A in Darwin this July, followed by a multi-format tour of India in September–October, and a one-off four-day clash with England Lions later in the year. Paine has steadily built his coaching résumé through recent assistant roles with Australia A and development squads, including under Adam Voges and Lachlan Stevens—who has now left his CA role. Supporting Paine in the upcoming Sri Lanka series are Adam Griffith (Australia’s new national fast bowling coach), Scott Prestwidge (Australia women’s assistant), and NT coach Trent Keep. Griffith will also act as Australia’s interim bowling coach in the West Indies while Daniel Vettori is on family leave, with former Black Caps pacer James Franklin joining for the third Test and T20I series. Meanwhile, uncontracted Queensland spinner Zanden Jeh has earned a shock call-up to the Australia A squad amid a scarcity of left-arm orthodox options. Jeh, who has no first-class experience and just four second XI games, has been included after a standout performance in Premier cricket and is also one of twelve players selected for CA’s development tour to the MRF Academy in Chennai. His selection highlights the selectors’ urgent push to find and develop quality spin alternatives. The development squad also features familiar young talents like Jason Sangha, Ollie Peake, and Campbell Kellaway, underlining a strong focus on grooming the next generation of Australian cricketers.

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