Tim Paine, Australia's Test skipper, has resigned only days before the Ashes due to a historical probe into texts sent to a female colleague.

A sobbing Paine, 36, admitted to sending texts to a coworker at Cricket Tasmania in 2017, which prompted a misconduct probe.

He stated that he had been "exonerated," but that he is stepping down because he discovered that his messages were about to be made public.

The first Ashes Test between Australia and England will take place on December 8th.

Cricket Australia (CA) has accepted Paine's resignation and will name a new captain, but the wicketkeeper-batter will play against England.

The current vice-captain, fast bowler Pat Cummins, is largely anticipated to be named captain.

Following Steve Smith's suspension for ball-tampering, Tasmania's Paine was chosen captain in 2018.

In a news conference on Friday, Paine announced the unprecedented probe, calling his choice to stand down "an enormously tough decision but the correct one for me, my family, and cricket."

He said: "Although exonerated, I deeply regretted this incident at the time and still do today.

"I spoke to my wife and family at the time and am enormously grateful for their forgiveness and support.

"On reflection, my actions in 2017 do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community."

Although Paine did not reveal the nature of the text it has been reported that the player was caught in a sex scandal of sending unsolicited d*** pics to a co-worker at Cricket Tasmania.

Paine added: "At the time, the exchange was the subject of a thorough CA Integrity Unit investigation, throughout which I fully participated in and openly participated in.

"That investigation and a Cricket Tasmania HR investigation at the same time found that there had been no breach of the Cricket Australia code of conduct."