Former legendary wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist feels that rookie gloveman Alex Carey may win a place in the Australian Test squad for the Magellan Ashes ahead of experienced campaigners like Matthew Wade and Peter Nevill.
The much-anticipated Ashes starts with the first of the five Tests scheduled at the Gabba on 23rd November.
The 26-year-old youngster who hasn’t got any international experience till date has made a reputation of being a champion wicketkeeper and a handy batsman in his relatively brief domestic career. He got picked in the Australian A squad for the tour of South Africa which was eventually called off due to the pay dispute between the players and Cricket Australia.
While Wade and Nevill have more experience than Carey, Gilchrist feels the latter might just get the nod given the inconsistency of the other two glovemen.
“Not really, I’m hearing a big push for Carey from South Australia,” Gilchrist told SEN’s The Run Home when he got enquired whether the battle for the wicket-keeper’s slot is only between Wade and Nevill.
“I’ve got declare I’ve never seen him ‘keep. I’ve seen a couple of highlights of his and he looks brilliant. All word is that is he’s a very, very tidy ‘keeper, very solid and a very solid, without being spectacular in terms of the results he’s produced, with the bat.
“He’s slightly younger than the others … I believe he’s a very hard worker and a top team man and a good guy to have around. I’m probably starting to think that it’s more likely that (selectors) might say ‘OK youngster, you’re in,” Gilchrist further added.
Gilchrist who has arguably been Australia’s greatest wicket-keeper batsman till date feels that Australia’s decision to drop Nevill a year ago after a poor series against South Africa was “premature”. He was eventually replaced by Wade for the following series. Nevill responded by scoring three first-class centuries but, as Wade had already replaced him the team management didn’t want to unsettle the rhythm.
Wade played six of the 13 Tests in subcontinent which is the hardest place to keep wickets.
“I think they were hasty getting rid of Nevill (last year),” Gilchrist said.
“But now that they’ve got Wade in there, he’s had six Test matches in the subcontinent, the poor bloke. That’s the hardest spot to keep and bat, so he’s probably owed a few games back in these conditions to show what he can do,” he further added.
