Published: Jul 12, 2019, 10:18 AM (IST)
Edited: Jul 12, 2019, 10:18 AM (IST)
Alex Carey‘s success at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 has prompted two icons of Australian cricket to tip him as a strong candidate for a Test debut in the upcoming Ashes series purely as a batsman, with one of them comparing the limited-overs wicketkeeper to Michael Hussey.
Carey had a breakthrough tournament, scoring valuable runs from the lower middle order while repeatedly coming to Australia’s rescue. His 375 runs at an average of 62.50 and strike-rate of 104.16 singled him out as the most valuable wicketkeeper-batsman of the World Cup, and now Steve Waugh and Shane Warne have tipped him to play the Ashes against England.
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“He reminds so much of Michael Hussey,” Waugh told the BBC. “It looks like he’s got every facet of his game under control. I think he’s definitely in the frame to be picked purely as a batsman. I’m not a selector, but he’s definitely good enough.”
This view was echoed by Warne on commentary during Australia’s loss to England in Thursday’s World Cup semi-final.
“The way he’s played through this tournament he might be a chance to play as a batsman in the Ashes,” said Warne.
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Carey is Australia’s ODI and T20I vice-captain and viewed as successor to current Test skipper Tim Paine. A stellar World Cup run could pitchfork him into the Test squad, especially following the determination he showed during the semi-final. Struck on the head by a bouncer from Jofra Archer that drew blood, Carey resumed batting with a makeshift bandage around his chin and scored 46 off 70 balls to revive Australia’s innings.
Earlier in the World Cup, Carey produced vital innings from crunch situations: 45 off 55 balls when Australia had lost half their side for 79 versus West Indies, 55* from 35 in the loss to India to keep the chase alive, 38* off 27 against England to drag the score to 285/7, 71 off 72 balls against New Zealand to earn his first Man-of-the-Match award and then 85 off 69 in defeat to South Africa.
