Alex Carey is likely to succeed Tim Paine as Test team keeper, Aus selectors clarify

The Australian selection committee has made it clear that young middle-order batsman Alex Carey is in the scheme of things to succeed Tim Paine in the long run in the longest format of the game. The news of the current limited-overs keeper succeeding Paine in the long run as Australia's Test stumper has been confirmed by Trevor Hohns, who is the current Chairman of the Australian selection committee. 

'Obviously on our radar for some time': Trevor Hohns

“Alex Carey’s been obviously on our radar for some time. “He’s played limited-overs cricket for (Australia), and we thought that was the ideal pathway for him to get to Test match level. Alex over the last 12-18 months has got better and better as a player, so I think our thinking is reasonably clear there without actually rubber-stamping it if I can put it that way,” said Hohns, as quoted by cricket.com.au.

“We won’t be able to fly players in and out (of South Africa due to COVID-19), so we need to have all bases covered. Alex is there definitely as a back-up wicketkeeper (but) the current form he’s in with the bat doesn’t exclude him from possibly playing a role in the batting line-up if required,” he added.

Carey is yet to don the whites for Australia to date and has been included in the squad for the three-match Test series against South Africa.

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A forgettable home Test season for Tim Paine

Meanwhile, Australia's current Test skipper as well as wicket-keeper batsman Tim Paine has been facing criticisms after the team's home series debacle against India recently. The Tasmanian stumper was in the news for all the wrong reasons in the third Test at the SCG where he was heard needlessly sledging the Indian batsmen on Day 5 and on top of that also ended up dropping multiple catches as the contest ended in a stalemate. 

In the same match, the veteran Test specialist had abused the on-field umpire, Paul Wilson following an unsuccessful DRS review against Cheteshwar Pujara as a result of which he was fined 15% of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

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This was also Australia's second straight Test series loss against India at home under Paine. The Aussies suffered a 2-1 loss in the four-match series (similar margin during the 2018/19 season). However, the hosts ended up losing the Border-Gavaskar trophy despite drawing first blood in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval that was played under lights. 

Despite Australia's humiliating home Test series defeat, the Hobart cricketer has been appointed captain as well as wicket-keeper for the away three-match Test series against South Africa that will be played in March. A detailed fixture of the tour is yet to be announced.

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