Staggering secret hidden in photo of Aussie cricket team

Tim Paine has revealed he suffered a broken thumb in the fifth Ashes Test and played through the pain.

The Australian skipper’s batting performances have come under fire throughout his time in charge of the national side, but may have had an excuse at The Oval.

"My thumb was broken towards the end of that Test but it is not displaced, so I should be right to get back into training early," Paine wrote in a column for The Australian on Wednesday.

It’s unclear when he suffered the injury or whether it’s the same thumb Paine has had multiple surgeries on throughout his career.

Paine also revealed Peter Siddle played through a painful hip injury suffered on the opening day of the Test.

"Peter Siddle tore a hip flexor bowling on the first morning," Paine wrote.

"He has copped a bit of criticism for not bowling as well as he we know he can, but the team knows just how heroic he was. A lot of other people wouldn’t have bowled again in the match, but he pushed on because he didn’t want to leave Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins to do extra work.”

Siddle’s selection came under fire when he went wicketless in the first innings, with many wondering why Mitchell Starc wasn’t retained.

Paine backed to continue as skipper

Should Paine stay on as captain of Australia's Test team this summer? For allrounder Mitch Marsh, the answer is a no-brainer.

"Well, he's the first captain to bring the Ashes home after 20 years, so I think he's doing a pretty good job," Marsh said.

"We love Painey. He's a great man, and he's a very good leader.

"He cost me a wicket with the DRS, but I'll let him slide for that one."

Questions about Paine's future as captain have arisen following his relatively lean run with the bat during the Ashes and some poor decision making.

Paine's wasted review during a crucial moment in the heartbreaking third Test loss to England will haunt him forever.

And his decision to bowl first in the final Test - which England won to level the series at 2-2 - also raised eyebrows.

Paine, who averaged just 20 during the Ashes, has declared that he has unfinished business as Test captain.

And the 34-year-old's efforts to lift Australia out of the doldrums following the sandpaper scandal means he will be forever hold a special place in cricket history.

with AAP