Alex Carey, the Australia wicket-keeper batsman, is satisfied with his “pretty solid” performance in the five-match one-day international series against India so far, and said he learnt how to take the game deep from his Indian counterpart MS Dhoni.
Carey, who has scored 21, 21*, 22 and 36* in the series so far, forged an 86-run sixth-wicket partnership with Ashton Turner in the fourth ODI in Mohali, which helped Australia gun down India’s 358/9 in just 47.5 overs even as Turner blasted 84* off 43 balls.
Even in the fourth ODI in Ranchi, Carey helped finish the Australian innings with an unbeaten 21 and shared an unbroken 50-run partnership with Marcus Stoinis to propel his team to 313, a score that proved to be too much for India.
Carey has enjoyed these cameos. “Behind the stumps has been pretty good but I’ve really enjoyed the role I’ve played coming in late [in the innings],” he said in Delhi, ahead of the fifth and final ODI on Wednesday, 13 March.
“And I think I’ve done a pretty good job. Helping the other night get over the line with ‘AT’ [Turner] … Again, with Stoinis the game before, putting on that extra 50 in the last five overs and then the first game [in Hyderabad] to help us get to a competitive score. I think my performances have been pretty solid.”
However, coming in at No.7, it is not a natural position for the left-handed batsman; he bats in the top order for his state teams. But the South Australian is learning the art of finishing matches from his India counterpart, Dhoni.
“You see Dhoni, he takes the game really deep and generally gets them over the line,” Carey said. “I’ve had a couple of opportunities to do that and just fell short. For me, it’s to keep developing that role and make sure [I’m there till the end] in a run chase like that the other night.
“If I can keep well first and foremost, that’s the main thing. Helping us win games of cricket – No.7 is a crucial spot, it can mean an extra 20 or 30 runs.”
