Adam Gilchrist backs Alex Carey to perform against India

Adam Gilchrist backs Alex Carey  (Twitter)

As Alex Carey gears up for his inaugural Test match in India, he has received a ringing endorsement from none other than Adam Gilchrist, the quintessential wicket-keeper-batter of Australia. Carey, who has donned the gloves for the Australian side since Tim Paine had to step down due to off-field turmoil, has proven himself a force to be reckoned with, putting in impressive performances in the 15 Tests he has featured so far in.

"I think his (Carey) keeping is improving series by series," Gilchrist told AAP. "I'm familiar with that feeling, that the more you're exposed at a certain level, if you can find a way to stay there, you then do improve. 

He's certainly on the upward trajectory there and doing a really good job," the Australian veteran added.

With a formidable record of 633 runs, including one century and three fifties, Carey's batting average of 39.56 speaks volumes about his exceptional abilities. However, the task at hand of keeping wickets on pitches that favour spin bowling in India is a Herculean one, and Gilchrist, who is considered a trailblazer in the field, understands this all too well. 

He himself amassed two centuries in India and was at the helm when the Australians made history by securing their first Test series victory in the country in thirty-five years.

"Just try and relax and trust that work and I think he does that, anyway," Gilchrist said. "In India, you're going to have some challenging situations and probably some missed opportunities, that's just the nature of the beast and the amount of time you can potentially spend over the stumps in challenging conditions. 

He could well be keeping a lot to the reverse swinging ball, on pitches that are low and you've got to stand a lot closer so he'll be well aware of all the condition potentials," the former gloveman concluded.

Carey's exposure to the challenges posed in spin-friendly conditions in the Test tours to Pakistan and Sri Lanka last year will hold him in good stead. Although he amassed a healthy 179 runs at an average of 59.66 against the formidable Pakistani side, it was his audacious counter-attack of 45 runs off 47 balls in Galle that helped Australia take a 1-0 lead and set the tone for the rest of the series. 

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