South Australian wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey is all set to don the gloves for the very first time in Test cricket for Australia as a replacement for Tim Paine in the forthcoming Ashes opener against England in Brisbane (December 8).
Carey has been chosen to keep wickets at the Gabba after Paine opted out of the Ashes in controversial circumstances last month, stated a report in watoday.com.au.
Australia were left without a wicketkeeper in their squad for the Ashes after Paine followed his decision to relinquish the captaincy post with a call to go on an indefinite break. Both the decisions have been taken in the aftermath of a contentious matter related to sending inappropriate messages to an ex female co-worker back in 2017.
Also read 👉 Paine opts out of Ashes post sexting scandal
Speculations were rife on the wicketkeeping slot, but now a clearer picture seems to be emerging, with Carey reportedly looking all set to make his Test debut at the Gabba. The 30-year-old left-hand bat and wicketkeeper has featured in 45 ODIs and 38 T20Is for Australia.
In first-class cricket, Carey has made 2,466 runs over 45 games with a decent average of 34.73, including five centuries and 13 half-centuries. However, he has not been in great form in his recent run of games at the domestic level. The elegant batter is averaging only 21.85 from his eight innings of the ongoing Sheffield Shield season for South Australia.
Carey had a direct competitor in Josh Inglis, who had been backed to play the first Ashes Test by prominent voices in Australian cricket. Spin legend Shane Warne was the most vocal advocate of Inglis being handed the baggy green cap in Brisbane.
“Inglis gets my vote. He’s got silky smooth hands behind the stumps, he’s a 360 degree player with the bat and coming off three first-class hundreds last season for WA. He’s a great team man who I saw first-hand at the London Spirit this year. He’s 26. Bang, get him in.”
Warne wrote in his column for Herald Sun.
Former wicketkeeper-batter Ian Healy had also backed Inglis’ inclusion to the Test side. Western Australian cricketer Inglis has played 45 first-class games with a batting average of 34.03 and three hundreds, 12 half-centuries.
