Adelaide Test: Alex Carey backs Australia’s ‘world-class’ batters to counter Bumrah threat

Jasprit Bumrahcelebrates taking the wicket of Alex Carey during the first Test match in the series between Australia and India at Perth Stadium on November 23, 2024
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The Jasprit Bumrah threat, the alleged batter-bowler divide in the Australian camp and the number 36, seem to be the general themes during press conferences in the lead-up to the second Test in Adelaide from Friday (December 6, 2024). And it was the turn of Alex Carey to square up and answer these queries when he met the media at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday (December 3, 2024).

The Australian, all soft words and a shy grin, handled the inquisition with the same ease with which he collects the ball within his wicket-keeping gloves. As for Bumrah, Carey replied: “He is a fantastic bowler and our batters are world class as well and will find ways to come up with solutions. I have had a look at him now, so hopefully we can combat that first and second spell, get him bowling a bit deeper in the innings with an older ball. We saw Travis (Head) sort of counter punch (at Perth).”

Ever since Josh Hazlewood casually spoke about bowlers looking ahead towards the second Test while the first Test was in the balance at Perth, a rumour about a split between batters and seamers has done the rounds. It was Carey’s turn to deny these whispers: “If you ask the batters, we all want to perform better. As cricketers you go there to score a 100 and if you don’t do that, you are at times disappointed. But we are a very united group.”

Reminded about bundling out India for 36 at this same venue in 2020, Carey adopted a guarded tone: “They were obviously amazing days in cricketing history. But no, we don’t go out there expecting to do that again. We have a plan and will try to execute that, and whatever happens, happens. But I wasn’t here for that Test match. I tried to get in, but I missed it. And it happened too quickly. But yeah, we are excited and we do take a lot of confidence out of our record with pink ball cricket.”