Adam Gilchrist backs Alex Carey, reveals ‘value’ ahead of biggest series of his career against India
Australia’s greatest wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist has urged current gloveman Alex Carey to look ahead and not over his shoulder as he prepares for one of the biggest series of his career.
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Adam Gilchrist has urged Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey to look ahead and not over his shoulder as he prepares for one of the biggest series of his career.
There is no suggestion Josh Inglis has been elevated to the Australian squad for any other reason than he is the best credentialed back-up batsman to cover the top six, but there is no escaping the fact Carey now also has a well-credentialed wicketkeeper snapping at his heels.
Inglis already claimed Carey’s position in the ODI team at last year’s World Cup triumph in India and this week took over the white ball captaincy in a caretaker capacity, further highlighting the esteem in which he is held by selectors.
However, the world’s greatest ever wicketkeeper-batsman and Fox Cricket commentator Gilchrist says Carey should feel assured that he has nothing to worry about and be confident that he has proven himself as a vital difference-maker in the Test arena.
“I don’t think in any way shape or form have selectors picked Josh to create that type of pressure or put ‘Kez’ (Carey) on any notice. I think they’ve simply picked the guy who has been one of the form players of the Sheffield Shield and for a while now has contributed nicely to the Australian white-ball set-up in Inglis,” Gilchrist said ahead of leading the charge on another Indian summer where Hubbl is offering fans the ultimate cricket-watching experience with a 55-inch Hubbl glass TV up for grabs (details below).
“They’ve credited a guy with scoring a great deal of runs and they feel is a quality player.
“I think his versatility up and down the order lends itself to being that spare batter.
“Jumping in and looking at it from Kez’s angle, he would be well aware of what other players are doing. He’d be well aware that Ingo has been scoring runs and keeping well. But I think again, he’d just be completely focused on his own game and making sure that’s right and the last thing you can do is let other people’s progress be a concern to yourself.”
Carey is himself in cracking run-scoring form as the top run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield and is arguably the Australian batsman in the best touch leading into next week’s first Test in Perth.
In Australia’s most recent Test match against New Zealand in Christchurch earlier this year, Carey was named man-of-the-match for his clutch 98 not out which clinched his side a vital 2-0 series victory.
Gilchrist said the breadth of Carey’s contributions to the World Test Championship-winning team’s performances over the past couple of years should not be underestimated.
“We can build a statistical profile on anyone and tell any story by building and looking at the facts in certain ways,” Gilchrist said in his role heading up the game’s most respected and diverse suite of experts on Fox Cricket, which will also bring back its Hindi coverage this summer.
“But the value of his contributions are what jumps out at me and I think they’re the things that teams remember and leadership groups acknowledge.
“It’s not just the amount of runs, it’s when you get them. It’s when you contribute and a lot of the other little things in and around the group.
“I see him as someone who is looked upon by his peers as a natural leader and that doesn’t mean he has to have the captaincy, but he leads others along a pathway just by his nature, his work ethic and his commitment in giving his self for the team.
“And I haven’t seen any evidence in any way shape or form that his glove work is doing anything other than exactly that and adding value to the team.
“I see similar traits in Inglis as well in the teams he plays in. That’s why it’s really exciting. I think Australia is really well covered off for that keeper/batter position for some time.”
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