Alex Carey Feels Confident Ahead of India Test Series After Technical Tweaks and Extended Break
Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey enters the upcoming Test series against India brimming with confidence and form, having made technical adjustments to his batting during a prolonged break from the game.
Carey, 33, is gearing up for his fourth home summer as a Test player, and he believes the six-month hiatus he enjoyed over the winter has left him feeling fresher than ever. While his teammate Josh Inglis has been included in the squad as batting cover, Carey is unfazed, focused on cementing his place as the team’s first-choice keeper.
The South Australian has been in terrific touch in the domestic circuit, blasting scores of 90, 111, and 123 not out in his first two Sheffield Shield matches, as well as 44 and 42 as captain in a low-scoring victory. He also posted ODI scores of 74 and 77 not out in England upon his return to the national side in September.
Carey credits his resurgence to a slight tweak in his batting setup, where he has raised his hands and the bat’s toe to a higher position during his stance. This adjustment has helped him feel less rushed at the crease and improved his bat path, leading to a purple patch that saw him score a match-winning 98 not out against New Zealand in his last Test outing in March.
“When you play and play and play, you don’t really get a chance to work on too many things,” Carey said. “Not having games coming up for a while, I’ve just mucked around a little bit with my hands and found something that felt good and sort of ran with that.”
Travis Head, Carey’s long-time teammate, believes the wicketkeeper-batter is in the best form of his career. “It’s the best form he’s been in,” Head said. “So for him, it’s trying not to overplay it and not worry about too much. I know he’s not. I think he’s in a great space.”
Carey is aware of the potential threat posed by Inglis, who has also been in excellent domestic form. However, the experienced gloveman remains pragmatic about the situation, focusing on his own game and the team’s objectives.
“I understand it’s a unique position to be in,” Carey said. “There’s one wicketkeeper in a team, and there’s lots of quality around the country who are trying to get that spot and I was one of those players once. You focus on your game. You control what you can control.”
As Australia gears up for the much-anticipated Test series against India, Carey’s solid form and technical adjustments make him a valuable asset for the team, with the potential to emerge as a match-winner with both bat and gloves.
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