Brad Haddin says Alex Carey’s Test future for Australia is in his own hands

Tim Paine will captain and keep for Australia in the forthcoming Ashes. But when he hangs up the gloves, Alex Carey has proved at this World Cup he is a perfect fit for the Test side, says Brad Haddin.

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Alex Carey has the “inside running” to succeed Test captain Tim Paine behind the stumps for Australia after using the World Cup to announce himself as a rising star.

Former Australian keeper Brad Haddin has been thrilled with Carey’s “calmness” in England and praised his steep improvement since giving footy the boot.

Carey captained Greater Western Sydney in 2010 but was delisted by coach Kevin Sheedy after 2011, returning to South Australia to pursue cricket as a 20-year-old.

Alex Carey has been in fine form with the bat for Australia at this World Cup.

“The way he came into bat the other day at Lord's (at 5/92), we were under a lot of pressure, but he seemed in control straightaway,” Haddin, an assistant coach, said.

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“The wicket looked difficult at times to score but the way Alex composed himself and played calm through the innings.

“That just comes from playing more cricket. The one thing we know with Alex is he's started behind from a cricket point but from a professional sports point of view, he's been around it his whole life.

“The more cricket he plays, the more calmer (he becomes) and the more situations like that become natural for him.”

Carey, 27, is averaging 61 runs (244 total) and has already broken the record for the most productive World Cup by a player entering at No. 7 or lower, bettering South African Lance Klusener’s 241 in 1999.

Paine, 34, is widely admired at Cricket Australia for helping the nation recover from one of the darkest periods in the sport’s history and is not close to giving it away.

Haddin said Carey would have to bide his time before earning a Baggy Green.

“Not this series with Tim (Paine) going so well,” Haddin said.

Tim Paine’s position in the Test team is safe for now but Carey is well placed to succeed him.

“(But) his name is definitely going to come up in the situation when Tim retires.

“He's got the inside running with playing one-day cricket. He is handling that well at the moment.

“I know that is a big role of Alex to play Test cricket and I can see no reason why he can't be competing for that spot when Tim hangs up the gloves.”

Tasmanian Matthew Wade has been told that his ticket to the Ashes squad relies on being selected as a reserve keeper and batsman in one, which would free up a position for an extra fast bowler.

Carey’s calmness and even temperament is much admired within the halls of Cricket Australia.

But Carey could yet trump Wade despite only registering two first-class centuries.

Selectors are in love with the white-ball vice-captain’s bubbly personality and leadership qualities.

Haddin was unsure whether there was merit in calls for Carey to be promoted above allrounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell.

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“It's something I would look at,” Haddin said.

“With the way he plays and the calmness he has got at the moment, he can move up and down the order.

“But from a keeper's point of view, No. 7 can also be a specialist spot.

“You get to bat in a few different situations like at Lord's under pressure or you've got to accelerate at the start of your innings and that's a skill as well.”