Gerard Whateley believes 2022 will be a big year for Alex Carey to prove himself in the sub-continent conditions.
Australia’s new Test wicketkeeper debuted in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane last week and handled himself with aplomb behind the stumps.
He pouched a record eight catches, however the 30-year-old struggled with the bat to record just 21 runs across two innings.
With Carey appearing locked in for the remainder of the Ashes, Whateley believes the “long-term prospect” will need to prove himself in the tougher Asian conditions.
While the sub-continent fixtures are yet to be confirmed, the ICC's Future Tour Program has them pencilled in.
“He’ll be terrific through the home summer, his challenge is going to be Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India, which are the biggest challenges for a wicket-keeper and those are the three series that line-up through next year, and that’s going to be a grounding, that’s going to be a crash-course in the gruelling nature of international Test cricket,” Whateley told SEN SA Breakfast.
“I can’t wait to see how he develops across the year, but this is a long-term investment for, I think, one of the great figures in Australian cricket.
“Young man, oozes leadership, so ready for this moment, long-termer, I loved what he did in Brisbane.
“His moment to make runs will come, but that (lack of runs) not a deal-breaker for now.”
Carey has played 45 ODIs and 38 T20s for Australia but has had to bide his time to earn selection in the team, with Tim Paine previously holding down the spot for the best part of four years.
However, he has consistently impressed at state level as a keeper-batsman for South Australia and there was an expectation he would one day become a Test player for Australia.
He’ll be behind the stumps to a new look attack when the second Test begins on Thursday in Adelaide, with Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser brought in for Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.