'Bairstow's Run-Out Has Impacted Him..,' Mark Taylor On Alex Carey's Dip

image-lknmpe2i Carey has been struggling to find his mojo in ongoing Ashes (AP Photo)

Former Australia captain Mark Taylor believes that the controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow at Lord's has had a significant impact on Alex Carey's form. The Australian wicket-keeper's crucial role in dislodging the bails with a throw when Bairstow wandered out of the crease during the second Test has led to a hostile reception for Carey, especially at Headingley, Leeds, where fans booed him and took out their shoes as a form of protest.

Carey started the Ashes campaign with a fifty but has struggled since, scoring only 13 runs in the third Test and 30 runs in the next two innings at Old Trafford and The Oval. Taylor suggested that Carey's poor form could be attributed to either fatigue or the backlash he faced after Bairstow's dismissal.

"His batting certainly has fallen away a bit throughout the series. Whether that's fatigue or not, you can’t help but think it might have started with this incident. It's his first Ashes tour in England and the crowd have been giving it to him. There was quite a bit after the incident. Every time he goes out to bat or keep now, he gets booed," Mark Taylor told Channel 9.

Despite the challenges, Taylor emphasized that Carey is a genuinely kind person, and the crowd's treatment might have affected his performance in recent Test matches.

"You won't meet a nicer guy playing cricket in Australia at the moment than Alex Carey. I can't help but think that might have impacted his performance over the last couple of Test matches," added Taylor.

In the ongoing Test at the Oval, Carey came in to bat after Mitchell Marsh's dismissal at 151-5 but was dismissed rather softly, hitting the ball straight to Ben Stokes at short cover. 

However, the resilience of Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, and Todd Murphy helped Australia take a 12-run lead, with the team eventually folding for 293 at the end of day two.