Australia have confirmed wicketkeeper Alex Carey will make his Test debut when the Ashes gets under way at the Gabba on December 8; Carey is part of a 16-man squad captained by opening bowler Pat Cummins
Saturday 4 December 2021 09:09, UK
Alex Carey will make his Australia Test debut in the opening Ashes Test after it was confirmed he will replace former captain Tim Paine as wicket-keeper.
The 30-year-old, who has represented Australia in 45 one-day internationals and 38 T20 matches, will be behind the stumps at the Gabba on December 8 after Paine announced he was taking a leave of absence from all forms of cricket for 'the foreseeable future'.
After confirmation of his call-up, Carey said: "Debuting for Australia no matter where it is, it's going to be super exciting and, yeah, for me to do that at the Gabba and in an Ashes series is again, boyhood dreams."
Carey, who filled in as Australia's ODI captain against West Indies earlier this year, has been named in a 16-man squad for the first two Ashes Tests ahead of Josh Inglis.
Australia team-mate Cameron Green said: "Alex has been around for quite a while now in that international set-up.
"I'm sure all the confidence he's gained from playing all the one-dayers will hold him in good stead.
"The experience that he brings, he's got a really good record in one-day cricket, he's really held that position down really well."
Paine stood down as Test skipper after media revelations he had been investigated and cleared over sexually explicit text messages sent to a female former colleague at Cricket Tasmania in 2017.
Seamer Pat Cummins will take charge - only the second fast bowler to captain Australia in Test cricket - with former skipper Steve Smith as his deputy.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (captain), Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.
