- By Manik Sharma
- Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:50 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Once tipped to be Australia’s No 1 wicketkeeper-batter in the Cricket World Cup 2023, Alex Carey was a no-show in Australia’s World Cup-winning XI after the first game. He was dismissed for a duck against India in Australia’s World Cup opener.
Carey is a familiar face in the Australian squad. It is said that wicketkeeping is tested to its core on subcontinent pitches where one has to crouch low for the entire game while simultaneously keeping the wickets without any margin for error. Carey's Test tour of India in 2023 was successful in terms of fielding, but it had its set of challenges with batting.
The England tour started strong, with standout performances in the World Test Championship final and at Edgbaston. However, a controversial stumping of Bairstow at Lord's Carey's in the Ashes Test sparked controversy, with many cricket pundits questioning Carey’s spirit of the game.
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The ODI World Cup brought another setback as Carey, a consistent performer for Australia, was unexpectedly dropped after just one match.
"I was surprised. Obviously really disappointed to lose my spot there. But, I guess once that news was delivered it was, I guess process it, try to learn from it and then go to work in the nets," EspnCricinfo quoted Carey as saying.
Australia will be facing Pakistan in the home test series, set to begin on December 14. Australia head coach Andrew McDonald reaffirmed Carey's status as Australia's No 1 Test wicketkeeper ahead of the series.
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"He's our number one choice in Test cricket,Our view on that hasn't changed for a period of time and don't see it changing in the immediate future," McDonald said ahead of the test match.
Carey expressed his surprise and disappointment at the ODI exclusion but embraced it as a chance to learn and grow. Working with former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper batter Andy Flower and Australia's batting coach Michael Di Venuto, Carey said he used the time to analyse and rebuild his game.
"The silver lining is I had a mini pre-season over there as well. Always being ready to play but I was able to, I guess, pick my game apart and work with some new faces and with different minds in the game” Australian wicketkeeper-batter added.
Returning to Sheffield Shield cricket, Carey scored a well-compiled 81, displaying the adjustments made during his time off. Excited to get back on the field, Carey remains focused on controlling what he can and preparing for the challenges ahead.
