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Eng vs Aus – 3rd ODI – Alex Carey’s form creates headache ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

Alex Carey’s surprise return to Australia’s ODI squad will cause selectors a headache ahead of Champions Trophy 2025 when wicketkeeper Josh Inglis returns from a quad complaint, according to coach and selector Andrew McDonald.

Carey was recalled to Australia’s ODI squad for the series opener against England – dropped during last year’s ODI World Cup – after Inglis was ruled out of the first ODI at Trent Bridge due to a quad strain he sustained in the Second T20I against England. on September 13.

Inglis is still recovering and Carey took his chances with back-to-back scores of 74 and 77 not out, in both innings rescuing Australia from dangerous spots to send the scores to Headingley and Chester-le-Street respectively.

It has raised the question of whether Inglis will find his place again when he is ready to return. Following Australia’s loss to England in the third ODI, McDonald said the wicketkeeper position would be a headache, but a good one.

“It’s always a problem to have a problem when you have people competing for spots in your team,” he said. “Unfortunately, Josh got injured in the T20 series, and Alex has stepped into that position and he’s doing incredibly well. So like I said, it’s always a problem to have.”

McDonald suggested the possibility that both men could play on the same team going forward. The pair have played in the same ODI team for Australia six times, four of those coming last year on the tour of South Africa and India just before the ODI World Cup, with Inglis playing as a special batsman in all six matches during Carey’s time. he was the first choice wicketkeeper.

“It’s always something we’ll consider,” McDonald said. “If you think back to the last 12 months, we had Ingo and Kez in the same team. So it’s possible, and the way Alex bats is very impressive. To sum it up, to go around mid-on against spin. He’s a top player. He played international cricket, so the way he is doing is not surprising.”

But it would seem less of an option if all of Australia’s best players are fit and available. A likely option is Australia fielding an extra allrounder to deepen the batting with Aaron Hardie putting his name in the role with a stunning 44 off 26 balls at the death to help lift Australia’s total past 300 on Tuesday. Hardie wasn’t set to play until Adam Zampa pulled out late due to illness.

Australia have been keen to try an all-rounder at No.8 since McDonald took over in 2022 in the hope that he could use that combination in major tournaments, then return to playing seven batsmen and four specialist bowlers that was the model that won the World Cup. Hardie’s form adds to their options, and could strengthen the game to play eight batsmen if he bowls well in the series so far. He can bowl with the new ball, and has given a display of his lethality despite his limited experience in the domestic role.

“Aaron Hardie called the team late, he executed hard to get us to the total,” McDonald said. “He was really good today.

“It is something we have discussed for a long time, and we are making history by saying that, leading up to the last World Cup, we wanted to have three different ways of playing, and one of those was the eighth. So we’ve done that before. Allrounders aren’t always available and fit, so sometimes that team isn’t on the table.

“But we feel that with the designers we have with Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, he throws in Marcus Stoinis for those who are not here, Is Sutherland exposed throughout the tour. So he starts to deal with that. Matthew Short is an allrounder himself and, along with -Glenn Maxwell So we have options to be able to be organized in that way of playing.”

The counterpoint is that Australia’s allrounder-heavy attack may lack power, no matter how many runs they get. That was especially evident without Zampa and England’s batsmen took full advantage. McDonald hopes Zampa and Travis Head will be available for the final two ODIs at Lord’s and Bristol on Friday and Sunday.

“It’s always a different team without Adam Zampa, he’s been an amazing player for us for a long time,” said McDonald. “It was a late decision to leave him out. Obviously we’ve had a bit of sickness in camp, and that’s been well documented. Unfortunately, he’s the latest.

“[Head] should be ready for the next game. I won’t go on there, but he should be ready to go.”

Alex Malcolm is the editor of ESPNcricinfo


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