PAK vs AUS: "He's Hungry To..." - Adam Gilchrist Backs Alex Carey To Work Towards Re-entering ODI Team

Former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman and 2-time World Cup winner Adam Gilchrist backed another Aussie wicket-keeper Alex Carey who is currently taking part in the 2nd of a 3-match Test series at home against Pakistan, to continue working hard towards his aim to re-enter the Australian ODI squad.

Alex Carey was infamously dropped for Josh Inglis during Australia’s World Cup campaign where they won their 6th World Cup title back on November 19th after beating India in a one-sided affair at the World’s largest Cricket stadium. Since then, Carey has expressed his desire to stage a comeback in Australia’s white-ball scheme of things and the ongoing Test series against Pakistan is a perfect opportunity for him.

Adam Gilchrist knowing what it is like to get dropped from the team has praised Carey’s determination to get back in the ODI side and thinks there are no reasons for him to slow down while trying to do so. Gilchrist is laying a supporting hand to Alex Carey in his tough time, something that happened with Gilchrist too during the 2003-04 season when his Test form had dipped and was dropped from the team.

The 52-year-old is regarded as one of the best wicketkeeper-batsman to ever grace the game of cricket. In fact there are very few who can be put in the same bracket as Adam Gilchrist who retired after scoring 15, 461 International runs across all 3 formats.

He scored 5570 runs in Tests, 9619 runs in ODIs, and 272 runs in T20 Cricket. He asked Carey to continue improving his skills every day.

“I actually like the fact that he has spoken so openly about his desire to get back into that white ball team. I see no reason for him to shut down that goal,” Gilchrist said.

“I don’t think it changes anything in his life by the way he goes about his cricket, the way he trains. I don’t think he sits at home and worries about it, so it is not draining him of mental energy and perhaps affecting his Test cricket.

“I think it is terrific. He is hungry to play for Australia as much as he possibly can and if it never happens again, it won’t be through a lack of trying. I think being incentivized to keep improving and keep developing will only enhance his Test cricket as well, even if it is using white ball cricket as a motivation,” Gilchrist told The Follow On as quoted by Fox Sports.

Alex Carey’s Dip In ODI And Test Form Tells Why He Was Dropped From Australia

Alex Carey’s Test as well as his ODI form has dipped drastically since December 2022. His last Test century came in December 2022 against South Africa in a Boxing Day Test where he scored 111 but his best score since then has been 2 scores of 66, first against India during the WTC final in June and then against England in the Ashes at Birmingham a few weeks later.

In ODIs, his last 4 innings have seen him score a combined 27 runs with his first and last ODI century coming way back in September 2020 against England where he scored 106. He reached close to scoring his 2nd test ton earlier this year but he was out for 99 at Centurion.

It was his poor form in India before the World Cup in a 3-match ODI series where he had scores of 14, 11, and 0, that convinced Australian selectors to look over him and they eventually selected Josh Inglis for the World Cup.

To this, Gilchrist claimed that Alex Carey would have also done a good job in the WC-winning campaign but Inglis’ selection before him should not put him off.

“He contributed nicely to that World Cup win. But I think Alex Carey would have done a very serviceable job there as well. Credit to the selectors. They had something in mind with it and they have a World Cup to show for it, but that should not put Alex Carey off.” – Gilchrist concluded.

Meanwhile, after scoring 34 in the 1st Test against Pakistan, Alex Carey is currently playing at 16 runs at the end of Day 3. Tomorrow, he will hope to score at least a half-century that could put him back in the minds of selectors.