Australian Selectors Hints Alex Carey As Tim Paine’s Successor In The Long Run
Australian selectors have confirmed that limited-overs keeper Alex Carey will be Tim Paine's successor in the long run in the longest format of the game.
After the successful season of Big Bash League, the young middle-order batsman Alex Carey is all set to make his debut in the longest format of the game for Australia. The Australian selection committee has made it clear that Alex Carey is in the scheme of things to succeed Tim Paine in the long run in the longest format of the game.
The news of the current limited-overs keeper succeeding Paine in the long run as Australia’s Test stumper has been confirmed by the current chairman of the Australia selection committee, Trevor Hohns.
Paine did not have a great time in the series against India, both with the bat and with the wicket keeping gloves as well. In the 7 innings that he played in the series, Paine recorded 4 scores less than 30 and accumulated only 204 runs in the series. He even failed as a wicketkeeper. He dropped several catches offered by the Indian batsmen and failed to impress both as captain and player.
“Alex Carey’s been obviously on our radar for some time. “He’s played limited-overs cricket for (Australia), and we thought that was the ideal pathway for him to get to Test match level. Alex over the last 12-18 months has got better and better as a player, so I think our thinking is reasonably clear there without actually rubber-stamping it if I can put it that way,” said Trevor Hohns, as reported by cricket.com.au.
However, Hohns reaffirmed that Paine is still the first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman and Carey has only been picked as a backup for the skipper.
“We won’t be able to fly players in and out (of South Africa due to COVID-19), so we need to have all bases covered. Alex is there definitely as a back-up wicketkeeper (but) the current form he’s in with the bat doesn’t exclude him from possibly playing a role in the batting line-up if required,” added Hohns.
Alex Carey is yet to represent his nation in the longest format of the game. In fact, this is the first time he has been picked in Australia’s Test squad for a series.
Meanwhile, Alex Carey has said that he is keen to soak in the dressing room atmosphere of a Test match besides learning from an experienced campaigner like Tim Paine.
“Being a part of this series will give me lots of experience being around Test cricket – I haven’t been in the changerooms for a Test match, so I’m really keen just to soak all that in … learn as much as possible, learn from Tim (Paine).” Alex Carey said.
