Carey eager to push white-ball case over the winter

While Alex Carey has his sights firmly set on recreating his Boxing Day heroics from a year ago, the wicketkeeper admits he has one eye on pushing his case for a white-ball recall in the coming months.

Carey's maiden century against South Africa last summer at the MCG, made possible by his close friend Cameron Green standing firm at the other end with a broken finger, remains one of the left-hander's most treasured moments.

The breakthrough knock prompted the likes of Adam Gilchrist to suggest he could bat at six if Australia had to play an extra bowler.

But, notable half-centuries during the World Test Championship final and first Ashes Test aside, Carey's numbers with the bat have since dipped. In 18 Test innings since the Melbourne Test, he has hit 404 runs at 23.76.

"I feel like that is battling, some ups and downs, that's going to happen at certain times " said Carey, who made 34 against Pakistan in the NRMA Insurance series opener against Pakistan before being bowled by a peach from Aamir Jamal.

Carey’s glovework through it all has for the most part been impeccable.

The South Australian became the eighth Australian keeper to reach 100 Test dismissals when he caught Pakistan captain Shan Masood in their second innings in Perth.

His dismissal of Jonny Bairstow later in the year might be the one he is most remembered for, but stumpings of Rohit Sharma (in Indore) and Joe Root (at Edgbaston) were turning points in landmark Test victories.

But his keeping was not enough for him to hold his spot when Australia returned for the ODI World Cup in October, as selectors replaced him with Josh Inglis after their opening match.

Not content with being a long-form specialist, Carey wants to play short-form cricket over the winter, and get back up to speed with T20 cricket in particular.

The 32-year-old has previously played for Sussex in the UK, but said he is yet to lock in a county deal for 2024 like international teammates Nathan Lyon (Lancashire), Marnus Labuschagne (Glamorgan) and Scott Boland (Durham).

"I still feel like I’ve had some pretty solid performances over the last 12 months in one-day cricket," Carey, who was the keeper in the ICC's official 2019 ODI World Cup team of the tournament, told reporters.

"The timings of the leaner trot led to that decision (to drop him at the World Cup) from the selection panel. But absolutely I feel like I've got a lot of one-day cricket and T20 cricket still left in me."

Since mid-August 2021 when he played the last of his international T20s, Carey has played just seven games in the format at domestic level.

He will have a limited role in this KFC BBL season for the Adelaide Strikers due to Test duties.

"I haven't been able to play a lot of T20 cricket – which has been good of course playing Test cricket," he said.

"But I'd love to get the opportunity to play some more T20 cricket over the winter, wherever that may be."

NRMA Insurance Test series v Pakistan

First Test: Australia won by 360 runs

Second Test: December 26-30, MCG (10.30am AEDT)

Third Test: January 3-7, SCG (10.30am AEDT)

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, David Warner

Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi