Former Victorian and South Australian first-class wicketkeeper Darren Berry has called for disgraced Australian captain Tim Paine to remain behind the stumps for this summer’s Ashes series.

Paine stood down from the captaincy on Friday after it was revealed he sent a female co-worker explicit text messages in 2017 while married with a young child and on the eve of his Test return.

It ended Paine’s reign as captain and means a second straight Australian Test skipper was forced to stand down in tears, following Steve Smith resigning after the sandpaper sage in Cape Town in 2018.

MORE:

• GLEN QUARTERMAIN: After Smith’s fall, simply more Paine for Aussie leadership
• Timeline: The rise and fall of Tim Paine
• The top contenders to replace Paine

While Paine has relinquished the captaincy, he is at this stage available for selection for the first Test at the Gabba which begins on December 8.

“I will remain a committed member of the Australian Test team, and look forward with anticipation to what is a huge Ashes tour,” Paine said on Friday.

Berry, who took 552 catches and recorded 51 stumpings in more than 150 first-class games for Victoria and South Australia, said if Paine was available he should be selected.

“Yes as the Australian captain with the revelations he had no choice but to stand down as captain, but I would like to say from the outset, if he is available, he is the best wicketkeeper in Australia,” Berry told SEN.

“Nobody condones what’s happened, it’s wrong. But he hasn’t killed anybody, he hasn’t robbed a bank. He’s made a horrible mistake that he’s going to have to live with, with his family. And I feel for him, even though he’s made a horrible mistake.

“If he’s available, I would pick him.

“For me he has to play cricket this weekend in Tasmania ... because he’s been injured. He needs to play club cricket and then he needs to play in the Australia trial match to prove he’s fit enough and worthy enough.

“He’s had a significant neck operation, but if he gets through those barriers and he plays and he’s performing... if you’re looking for the best wicketkeeper-batsmen to play the first Test, he’s not captain. I’m picking Tim Paine.

“I believe he’s the best wicketkeeper... and his batting, although criticised is more than adequate.

“(I have) no issue whatsoever with Tim Paine batting at number seven and being the Australian wicketkeeper.”