Alex Carey straight into Test prep after World Cup omission

Australia’s out-of-favour wicketkeeper will waste no time cementing his spot in the Test side after a “weird” World Cup.

Australian keeper Alex Carey says the World Cup triumph was a “weird” experience for him after being dropped but should have no bearing on what happens to his Test spot.

Carey said he wanted to return to Sheffield Shield cricket for South Australia next Tuesday only six days after landing following more than two months on tour.

The 32-year-old lost his spot in the side following Australia’s six-wicket loss to India in its opening World Cup game after he had been a mainstay of the side for the entire cycle following his starring role with the bat in the 2019 campaign.

The omission came only six games after he smashed 99 off 77 balls as the only Australian to pass 35 in a heavy loss to South Africa in Centurion.

Alex Carey said he tried to be the ‘best 12th man that I can be’ after a disappointing omission from the Australian one-day side at the World Cup. Picture: Punit Paranjpe / AFP

But it was his first score of more than 30 in his previous 11 international innings, with the selectors bringing in Josh Inglis and then backing the younger keeper through the remainder of the tournament.

“Yeah, it was (weird) … obviously I would’ve loved to have been out there and be part of the 11, but (to) experience a winning World Cup, although not to be part of the 11 it was still really special,” he said.

“It was two months away with a group that’s had an amazing year – as we look back, we’ve won a World Test Championship, retained the Ashes and now we’ve won the World Cup.

“(I tried to) be the best 12th man that I can be, I thought I did that pretty well … the boys were hydrated. You’re still part of the cricket team, it’s something you dream of. I still found it really enjoyable.”

Carey has his sights set on a Sheffield Shield game for South Australia in six days’ time after arriving home from India on Wednesday. Picture: Morgan Hancock / Getty Images

Carey said he wanted to make an immediate return for South Australia against Victoria in its four-day match at the Adelaide Oval next week as he turns his focus to the Test summer.

He did not think his one-day omission would stop him from holding his spot over Inglis and Queensland’s Jimmy Peirson.

“I don’t feel like one-day and Test cricket overlay, so we’ll wait and see when Test selection comes out, but I’m looking forward to getting out there Tuesday and having a hit with the red ball for the Redbacks and then see what happens,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to getting back out there and playing … I’m smashing them in the nets, I think I’ve scored about 500 in the nets, so I’m feeling good.

“You never want to get dropped in any format, and unfortunately after the first game I didn't get back out there, but I thought I held myself around the group pretty well.”