Carey grabs his chance as recent roles reversed

The symbolism was unmissable.

It was just shy of 1pm on a sunnily steamy afternoon at Galle International Cricket Stadium when Alex Carey made his typically business-like entrance to the arena to bat in a role he had never previously experienced in the Test format.

With a deserved reputation as an earnestly dedicated servant of any team he's part of, Carey had won his second promotion in as many games – from number seven to six in the batting order last week, now number six to five in the second match against Sri Lanka.

But the story behind the wicketkeeper-batter's latest move up the ranks was the stuff of melodrama that culminated in the feel-good finish of the 33-year-old's most emphatic and productive innings of his international career to date.

Ever since he was dropped from Australia's ODI team after their opening game of the ultimately triumphant 2023 World Cup campaign in India, Carey has found himself (at least in the public's eyes) in an existential battle with the man who replaced him at that tournament, Josh Inglis.

Despite Carey's polished glovework and occasional match-winning efforts with the bat – most notably the unbeaten 98 that carried Australia to an unlikely win over New Zealand a year ago – the enduring narrative has been Inglis is also breathing down his neck at Test level.

When the pair finally played in the same XI at Galle last week, it was Inglis who took the spotlight by scoring the fastest century on Test debut by any Australia batter at number five, while Carey's contribution of 46no and an unblemished sheet behind the stumps seemed to again pass unnoticed.

However, Inglis's unfamiliar guise as outfielder rather than wicketkeeper came at a cost on Thursday when, in diving to save a ball on the Galle turf, he triggered a back spasm that saw him spend much of that day, and the first half-hour of yesterday off the field.

Under cricket's rules designed to stop specialist batters putting their feet up in the dressing room while substitutes run around on their behalf in trying conditions, Inglis was permitted to bat no higher than number seven until 1.20pm on day two.

So when Usman Khawaja was dismissed 15 minutes after the lunch break and Inglis remained a further 20 minutes from serving his penance, it was Carey who assumed his position after 18 months of playing the pursued.

The moment was afforded greater poignancy by the sight of Inglis – in full playing kit, with pads on and bat in hand having just completed a nets session to prove his back was okay – watching on from outside the boundary rope as Carey went to the wicket.

The truth that will be duly ignored by conspiracy theorists and click baiters is no malice, nor competitive jealousies exist between the good friends who have understood since the day they first donned gauntlets there is only ever one wicketkeeper in a cricket team.

Carey was in the middle, batting in partnership with Inglis when the latter reached the memorable milestone in his maiden outing last week, and wrapped his teammate in a huge embrace after the hundredth-run celebrations were complete.

And there's no doubt Inglis would have been similarly thrilled to watch the quality of Carey's unbeaten 139 in an ongoing partnership of 239 with skipper Steve Smith (120no) that has put Australia in charge of the second Test and eyeing a 2-0 series win.

"Josh is a great mate of mine, so to see him score a Test hundred and with his parents here, it was just amazing," Carey said after his second Test ton, and highest score to date, lifted Australia to 3-330 in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings 257.

"He's playing really well. He's a great batsman.

"I feel like if I can continue to improve as well and play as long as possible then, as we've done in white-ball cricket as well, we can certainly coexist (in the same team).

"We both know our roles in the team and are trying to play them as best we can.

"I love batting as high as possible, I do it in (Sheffield) Shield cricket (for South Australia).

"But I think the partnership that 'Smudge' (Smith) and I put on to put us in a really good position on a wicket that we still think will be tough as we play on it further … that’s the satisfying part of it."

Carey has spoken previously to cricket.com.au about getting dropped during the 2023 World Cup campaign, and the opportunity it afforded him to work on his batting on spin-friendly pitches while still part of the squad throughout that tournament.

However, he also admits he gleaned a lot from three prior Test tours to the subcontinent – the 2022 series played on eye-glazingly flat tracks in Pakistan, the two Tests at Galle that followed soon after, and the 2023 campaign in India that served up some raging turners.

While he adapted to conditions in Pakistan (where he came within seven runs of a maiden Test century at Karachi) and then Sri Lanka (average 44.50 from three innings), he found the going tougher in the series loss to India (56 runs at 9.33).

So to have produced the most substantial knock of his 39-Test tenure to date on his first red-ball visit to Asia since that India trip, and in his inaugural gig as a top-five batter (apart from a cameo as a substitute opener on debut), says much about his evolution.

The most striking element of his batting in this series has been his absolute clarity in deploying the sweep shots (conventional and reverse) that were previously viewed as a weakness, and with such devastating effect he even saw Smith follow his example.

"It certainly surprised me when he went the reverse sweep without a helmet on," Carey said of his skipper unfurling a stroke he has rarely, if ever, executed in Tests.

"He's got some nice teeth which aren't cheap, so I suggested to put a helmet on.

"I think the sweeps and reverse have always been in my game, it's just staying patient for longer. And probably playing them at a time, and when the field allows for it. Just being a little bit smarter and understanding risk-reward and potential field changes it might bring. So playing it with a bit more intent to do other things than just get down the other end.

"I reckon there were some learnings in India (2023) in really extreme conditions, in a really tough place to play cricket. You walk away from there learning about yourself and your game.

"And I think we had a really strong lead-in to this series in Dubai (for a week-long training camp) then we were really clear when we got here."

The lessons gleaned from a couple of difficult excursions to India, combined with the hard work Carey has undertaken within the Australia and SA set-ups since then have produced results that speak for themselves.

 Prior to his omission after the 2023 World Cup opener against India, Carey's Test batting average was 31.88 but since then it's been 43.35 which includes his current unbeaten knock at Galle.

At first-class level using the same timeline, it's increased from 31.88 to 54.20 with his record in the opening rounds of the current Sheffield Shield summer evidence of his irresistible form.

And while the sample size is smaller – he's played just three ODIs since that 2023 World Cup with Inglis now the preferred keeper-batter – his average in that format has also grown, from 32.98 at the time of his axing to 82.00.

It's a reason why he's been named in Australia's preliminary squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE where, on the evidence provided by the current Test series, it might be his turn to take on specialist batter duties.

But as Carey happily points out, his principal job in the Test outfit is keeping wickets – taking catches and completing stumpings – and, by that metric, he seemed secure in the role even before his stunning innings from just 156 balls faced yesterday.

In the first Test which Australia won by an innings and 242 runs, Carey became just the fourth Australia gloveman (after Rod Marsh, Brian Taber and Wally Grout) to complete a Test match in Asia where the opposition scored 400-plus without conceding a bye.

That game also saw him eclipse his predecessor Tim Paine's tally of 157 Test dismissals with his current total of 162 (144 catches, 18 stumpings) behind only Grout (187), Brad Haddin (270), Marsh (355), Ian Healy (395) and Adam Gilchrist (416).

"Wicketkeeping for sure," Carey said without hesitation when asked if he found greater satisfaction in scoring a century or completing a flawless match with the gloves.

"Backing up the bowlers, creating opportunities, that's my job in the side first and foremost, to do it behind the stumps.

"And I thought the first innings (of the current Test) was pretty solid again and that last game, when the boys were creating (chances) over the two innings, that was quite satisfying."

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

First Test: Australia win by an innings and 242 runs

Second Test: February 6-10, Galle (3.30pm AEDT)

Sri Lanka Test squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka (subject to fitness), Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sonal Dinusha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

First ODI: February 12, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)

Second ODI: February 14, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)