Ashes 2021-22: Follow all the latest news ahead of the first Test between Australia and England

Australia’s selectors are divided over who should replace Tim Paine in the first Ashes Test, with a crunch call looming on the wicketkeeping spot.

Josh Inglis is firming to be the Ashes selection bolter with his chances of leapfrogging Test understudy Alex Carey as Tim Paine’s successor behind the stumps receiving a significant boost.

It is understood one selector feels the English-born wicketkeeper is ready to rock at the top and wants to back the 26-year-old given his enormous potential at Test level.

But Inglis would need to secure a second vote from the three-man panel to win a Baggy Green at the Gabba on December 8 in what would be a selection shock.

George Bailey (chairman), coach Justin Langer and Tony Dodemaide are the three selectors tasked with appointing Australia’s next gloveman.

They will consult new captain Patrick Cummins and vice-captain Steve Smith, as well as other senior players, before settling on a new No.7.

Mother nature has further clouded the decision with Australia’s informal three-day inter-squad game, due to start on Wednesday, set to be scrapped.

Up to 50mm of rain is expected to fall in Brisbane on Tuesday and Wednesday and last week’s downpour cost the Aussies a training session on Wednesday and Thursday.

But they were able to complete two sessions on Friday and Saturday and centre-wicket practice could be best look selectors get at Inglis and Carey this week.

One of the glovemen will be drafted into Australia’s Ashes squad this week, replacing Paine, with the other set to keep wickets for Australia A against the England Lions in a December 9-12 game in Brisbane.

Externally it has long been presumed that Carey – a former Greater Western Sydney AFL captain – was next in line and almost an automatic pick.

But internally it is shaping as a lineball call that is causing some lively debate.

Significantly, in a recent podcast interview, Bailey gave a broad hint that Carey was still the man at the front of the queue.

Carey, 30, has been the loyal understudy for several years whereas Inglis is the highly-talented new kid on the block, setting the scene for a head versus heart selection decision.

Carey has the backing of wicketkeeping greats Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist, who expect him to wear the gloves against England next month.

Carey captained Australia to an ODI series win in West Indies this year and was selected as Paine’s back-up for a Test tour of South Africa which did not go ahead.

Jimmy Peirson.

The loveable South Australian is regarded as the prince charming of Australian cricket, with his impeccable character and values prompting Langer to say Carey could marry one of his daughters.

But Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne are big supporters of Inglis, who was born in Leeds before moving to Australia at 14.

Ponting was furious Perth Scorchers batted the right-hander below their three overseas players in last summer’s Big Bash.

“If I had my Australian selector’s hat on I’d like to see this boy up the top of the order and batting there game after game,” Ponting said.

“I feel he’s someone that can potentially play for Australia in a few different formats and it just feels to me that he’s being starved of a season.”

Teammate Jason Behrendorff said Inglis: “Plays spin so well, he’s got amazing footwork and the areas he can hit the ball into against the spinners in particular is outstanding”.

Carey is averaging 21.8 in the Sheffield Shield this season although Redbacks coach Jason Gillespie said keeping had been first-class.

Josh Inglis is right in the mix to make his Test debut in the Ashes.

Inglis has played just one Shield game, making 28 and 13, before he jetted to the United Arab Emirates as part of Australia’s winning Twenty20 World Cup squad, although he did not play a match due to Matthew Wade’s heroics.

Former selector Mark Waugh rated Carey a $1.50 favourite to play at the Gabba with Inglis $3 and Queenslander Jimmy Peirson $5.

Peirson has the skilful ability to keep up to the stumps to fast bowlers although he was not selected in the Ashes or Australia A squads.

Australia has not unveiled a new wicketkeeper since Peter Nevill replaced Brad Haddin in a 2015 Ashes Test at Lord’s.

MIRROR IMAGE?

JOSH INGLIS (First-class career)

Games 45

Runs 2246

Highest score 153 not-out

Centuries 3, Half-centuries 12

Average 34

Catches 147, Stumpings 3

ALEX CAREY (First-class career)

Games 45

Runs 2466

Highest score 143

Centuries 5, Half-centuries 13

Average 34.7

Catches 160, Stumpings 4

EARLIER REPORT: THREE-WAY FIGHT LOOMS FOR PAINE ROLE

Robert Craddock and Ben Horne

Tim Paine’s likely inclusion in the first Ashes Test will leave Alex Carey’s baggy green dream hanging by a thread as another a crucial selection showdown looms.

If Paine is ruled out of the first Test at the Gabba from December 8, it appears certain Carey will make his Test debut at age 30 after being the man in waiting for several years.

But if, as appears likely, Paine is chosen for the first Test and plays the remainder of the series the rapidly emerging English-born West Australian Josh Inglis could storm from the periphery to take over for Australia’s Test tour of Pakistan in February-March.

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Australia's wicketkeeper Tim Paine drops a catch from India's Rishabh Pant during the third Test last summer.

The tightness of the equation is already evident as both Carey and Inglis were chosen in the Australia A team who will play the Australian Test team as a Gabba warm-up before taking on the English Lions.

The whisper is growing there is a strong internal push for Inglis, who is highly rated by the likes of Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting.

Test great Ian Healy has heard the rumours Inglis is gaining support in high places but feels Carey deserves to stay at the front of the queue … for the moment at least.

“I am sensing it (Inglis pipping Carey) is a chance of happening and just some language I heard overnight made me think they might be a chance of going that way,’’ Healy said.

“It has been done before. It would be a gutsy decision by the selectors. It depends on what happens with Tim.

“They have had Carey in mind for a long time. He has done everything asked of him and I think we might still get five years out of him.

“I am a weird one to talk to about it because I am always quite traditional in my succession thinking for keepers.

Alex Carey has been waiting the wings for many years.

Josh Inglis has some big names endorsing him.

“I think Carey has deserves his opportunity having said that when I got my chance I leapt over six or so keepers in the country.’’

Ponting has publicly endorsed Inglis on at least three occasions and told Cricket.com.au this week he thought the 26-year-old had an outstanding future.

“I’m on record saying I love Inglis — I think he’s going to be a really good cricketer for Australia for a long time in whatever format they pick him in first, whether its T20s, one-dayers or Test cricket,’’ Ponting said.

Warne would have happily selected Inglis for the first Test.

“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,’’ Warne wrote in his News Corp column.

“He’s a great team man who I saw first hand at the London Spirit this year. He’s 26. Bang, get him in.”

Originally published as Ashes 2021-22: Follow all the latest news ahead of the first Test between Australia and England