‘No-brainer’: South Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey to make Test debut at the Gabba

National selectors are reportedly preparing to unveil South Australian gloveman Alex Carey as Tim Paine’s replacement for the Ashes.

Alex Carey of the Redbacks. Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images

Alex Carey will reportedly make his Test debut at the Gabba next week, with national selectors set to unveil the South Australian wicketkeeper as Tim Paine’s replacement for the first Ashes Test.

Last week, Paine announced he would step away from the sport to focus on his mental health after a series of lewd texts between the former Australian captain and a former Cricket Tasmania staff member from 2017 surfaced.

National selectors were subsequently tasked with finding a successor, with Carey and West Australian gloveman Josh Inglis the leading candidates.

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But as first reported by News Corp, George Bailey and his comrades have already made up their minds — Carey will become Australia’s 461st Test cricketer next week.

“Selection is totally out of my control now. It’s something that I shouldn’t waste time worrying about,” the South Australian told RSN.

“Hopefully we hear soon.

“If I am lucky enough to get the opportunity, I’d feel really proud and grateful … a young kid’s dream come true.”

Inglis and West Australian teammates Mitchell Marsh and Ashton Agar returned to Perth on Tuesday, further suggesting that Carey will don the gloves in Brisbane.

Carey scored a timely century against Queensland in the Marsh Cup on Sunday, a knock that seemingly cemented his place in the Test XI.

SA’s Alex Carey will make his Test debut at the Gabba.

🔒#Ashes

— Theo Doropoulos (@TheoDrop) November 30, 2021

Super chuffed for Alex Carey to receive his Baggy Green at the Gabba. Wonder how many Test debutantes have captained Australia in ODIs except George Bailey & Aaron Finch. Also think the big challenge for Carey will be how firm he will be with his support for DRS calls #Ashes

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) November 30, 2021

Carey has averaged 44.11 with the bat in the Sheffield Shield since September 2019 and captained Australia in one-day cricket earlier this year after nearly four summers in the national white-ball outfit.

He has played 45 ODIs and 38 T20Is for Australia since his international debut in January 2018, with 70 catches and 15 stumpings across formats.

However, Carey’s last three knocks in first-class cricket are 0, 7 and 6 — in comparison, Inglis averaged 73.12 in last summer’s Sheffield Shield, scoring three centuries for Western Australia.

Alex Carey of the Redbacks celebrates bringing up his century, Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images

Regardless, former Australian paceman and South Australian coach Jason Gillespie says picking Carey and batter Travis Head for the Gabba Test was a “no-brainer”.

“They’re both in fine form, they’ve worked incredibly hard at their games,” he told SEN 1116 on Tuesday.

“I’m very confident that if they’re given the opportunity, they’ll grab it with both hands and make telling contributions for their country.

“Alex probably hasn’t had the summer in Shield cricket from a batting perspective that he would have liked, but he’s preparing well and hitting the ball well.

“But equally as important, he’s keeping fantastically.”

The first Test between Australia and England gets underway at the Gabba on Wednesday, December 8.

Originally published as ‘No-brainer’: South Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey to make Test debut at the Gabba